A lot has been made about the Washington Redskins addition of defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio this offseason. With his decades of NFL experience and time working with some of the best defenders in the game’s history, the thought of him replacing someone like Greg Manusky is borderline enthralling.
Not only will Del Rio bring some competence to the defense’s gameplan week-in and week-out, but he also is planning to transition the Redskins to a 4-3 defensive scheme, rather than the 3-4 that they have been running for the past several years. This will allow the defensive line to focus more on getting to the pass rusher via the edge and give the linebackers a bigger role in coverage.
While some have questioned how this transition will go in the first year, Redskins defensive lineman Jonathan Allen doesn’t foresee there being much of a learning curve.
Allen said people are making a big deal about the #Redskins switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3, but they were in a four man front the majority of the time last year. But he is excited about the scheme letting Montez Sweat and Chase Young rush the passer.
— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) May 20, 2020
If the linebacking core can be competent, headed up by Cole Holcomb, Thomas Davis, and Jon Bostic, then the defensive line will really be able to thrive in this new defense. With Montez Sweat and Chase Young out on the edge, the possibilities are endless.
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