4-3 – Syndication Server

Packers’ Rashan Gary feels ‘more explosive’ as 4-3 DE

Rashan Gary is feeling more explosive while putting his hand in the dirt as a 4-3 defensive end in Jeff Hafley’s defense.

The move to a 4-3 base front defense could help Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary unlock his full potential as a pass-rusher in 2024.

After a training camp practice in which he produced sack after sack and pressure after pressure, Gary explained how putting his hand in the dirt — as opposed to standing up as a 3-4 outside linebacker — is aiding his explosiveness off the ball.

“I feel more explosive coming out of a three-point stance,” Gary said, via Bill Huber of Packers Central. “Sometimes when you’re in a two-point stance, you can create more false steps. With the hand in the dirt, the false steps are taken away.”

Firing off the ball and going full tilt at the quarterback is already paying off for Gary.

During Tuesday’s practice, Gary produced three sacks in a four-play sequence, per Huber. He beat both Rasheed Walker and Andre Dillard for pressures. A dominant win for the defense overall had the offense — players and coached included — doing pushups to end practice.

“Just being able to pin our ears back, not think and fly around,” Gary said, via Paul Bretl of ESPN La Crosse. “It’s been fun so far the first two days.”

Last season, Gary produced 9.5 sacks, 24 quarterback hits and 66 total pressures over 19 games, including the postseason. He was dominant early in the season in a limited role while he worked his way back from his 2022 ACL injury. Unsurprisingly, his impact faded a bit down the stretch — likely a result of a long season’s grind following a significant injury.

Now healthy, coming off a full offseason and loving the new defensive scheme, Gary is set up for a career year in 2024.

And he isn’t the only pass-rusher enjoying what the new defense asks.

“I love having my hand in the dirt,” Lukas Van Ness said Tuesday.

Broncos DC Ejiro Evero will keep 3-4 base, elements of Vic Fangio’s defense

New Broncos DC Ejiro Evero will keep Vic Fangio’s base 3-4 defense in place. “There will be a lot of carryover,” Evero said.

The Denver Broncos parted ways with head coach Vic Fangio after the 2021 season, but they aren’t complete abandoning his defense.

Denver hired Ejiro Evero, who has worked under Fangio in the past, as their new defensive coordinator, and he will keep elements of Fangio’s defense in place this season.

“We’ll be 3-4 in our base defense,” Evero confirmed during his introductory press conference on Tuesday. “We’ll play a variety of sub packages. There will be a lot of carryover from what these guys did last year …. I think the players will be familiar with a lot of what we’re going to present to them. We’re going to always start players first and then move into the scheme.”

There had been some speculation that Denver could switch to a 4-3 lineup after moving on from Fangio, but the team’s base won’t be changing.

Even under Fangio, the Broncos’ 3-4 defense didn’t always look like a 3-4 — that’s the way the NFL is trending these days with nickel packages becoming more and more frequent. Evero’s scheme will probably be similar, adjusting based on the situation.

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Reports: Detroit Lions expected to hire Giff Smith as DL coach

The Free Press’ Dave Birkett is reporting that the Detroit Lions are expected to hire Giff Smith as their defensive line coach.

Smith spent the last five seasons as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive line coach, operating their hybrid front. Prior to that, he spent two years with the Tennessee Titans and three seasons with the Buffalo Bills in the same position.

After the Chargers moved on from their coaching staff this offseason, Smith interviewed with the Dallas Cowboys last week, before joining the Lions.

The 10-years NFL veteran coach has been effective in each of his stops. Under his coaching, DT Kyle Williams (Bills), DT Jurrell Kasey (Titans), DE Joey Bosa (Chargers), and EDGE Melvin Ingram III (Chargers) — who is a potential free agent — have combined for eight Pro Bowls.

Bosa also won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2016 while developing his skillset under Smith.

May 14, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa (99) participates in a drill as defensive line coach Giff Smith (left) looks on at Charger Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Chargers’ Bosa and Ingram have been a formidable duo, registering pressures and sacks on a consistent basis — although recently injuries have caused their statistical production to dip.

Smith has done a nice job of developing players at multiple positions along the defensive line and his experience in 34, 43, and hybrid defensive schemes give the Lions options for how they want to develop their scheme.

Is free agent Jadeveon Clowney close to finding a new NFL team?

Could a new NFL team now be interested in free agent and former Seattle Seahawks defensive end, Jadeveon Clowney?

The Seattle Seahawks added a couple of defensive weapons to the arsenal this offseason but were unable to re-sign defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to the roster. Numerous teams have expressed interest in the free agent, although he is still without a team.

But could that be about to change?

NLF insider Josina Anderson tweeted earlier on Thursday that an anonymous team that may be running a 4-3 defensive scheme could be interested in Clowney. Teams currently running a 4-3 scheme include the Browns, Colts, Raiders, and Eagles.

Clowney has waited months for the right deal to be extended to him, but he will eventually have to take what he can get if he wants to see the field this year. Where the 27-year-old edge rusher calls home for the 2020 season is up in the air.

For now, it seems that the Seahawks have all but given up on trying to acquire Clowney’s services. Of course, anything can happen in the NFL, but it does not seem likely a reunion in Seattle is in the making.

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Potential edge rusher prospects for Chiefs in each round of the 2020 NFL Draft

A look at some of the edge rushers the Kansas City Chiefs could add in each round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

If there was one position group that was completely transformed in 2019, it was the Kansas City Chiefs’ edge rushers.

The team switched from a 3-4 defensive scheme to a 4-3 defense. Now instead of getting their edge rush from outside linebackers in a two-point stance, they were getting their edge pressure from defensive linemen in a three-point stance.

From a personnel standpoint, the Chiefs return their two starters from 2019 in Frank Clark and Alex Okafor. Tanoh Kpassagnon and Demone Harris also received rotational repetitions for Kansas City. Breeland Speaks is set to return from injury and could also secure a rotational role. The Chiefs also have two developmental players, Tim Ward and Anthony Lanier.

While there are a lot of bodies, upgrades aren’t out of the question for Kansas City. Here are some of the edge rushers the Chiefs could consider in each round of the 2020 NFL draft:

Round 1: Penn State DE Yetur Gross-Matos

If the Chiefs decide to go pass-rusher in the first round, Gross-Matos is the best option for Kansas City. There is some doubt that he’ll be available at pick No. 32 because many view him as the top edge behind Ohio State’s Chase Young.

At 6-5 and 265 pounds, Gross-Matos has great size. He also has length, with 35-inch arms, to play rush defensive end in the Chiefs’ system. During his career, he’s shown the ability to get after the quarterback and wreak havoc in the backfield, demonstrated by 18.5 career sacks and 36.5 tackles for loss.

At the combine, Gross-Matos only participated in the bench press (15), broad jump (120 inches) and vertical jump (34 inches). He’s clearly explosive, the bench press number would be more concerning if he didn’t display good strength on tape.

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