When Jack Del Rio was hired as the new defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins, one of his first moves on the job was to commit to a 4-3 defensive scheme, rather than the 3-4 scheme that the Redskins have been running in the recent past.
So for non-football lifers, what does this mean? Let’s break it down.
The first step to understanding the difference between a 4-3 and 3-4 defense is getting comfortable with the personnel changes it brings. A 4-3 consists of four defensive lineman and three linebackers, while a 3-4 is the opposite. In a 4-3, the quarterback pressure is created mainly by the lineman, where a DT typically draws a double-team, and the rest of the line is free to play with a one-on-one matchup. In a 3-4, which is how the Redskins have lined up for years now, the pressure is created by the linebackers out on the edge. This role was filled by both Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat in 2019. A change to the 4-3 would likely see them move to the defensive end position, rather than an ‘edge-rusher’ distinction. So how would this help the Redskins?
“You’ve got guys like Montez Sweat, [Ryan] Kerrigan,” Del Rio said, via NBC Sports Washington. “These are guys that are some of your premier edge rushers. It just makes more sense to have them covering less and rushing more. I’ll keep it as simple as that.”
It helps by putting Kerrigan and Sweat — and quite possibly Chase Young — in a position to succeed more. While they are now operating out of a linebacker position, where they are occasionally asked to drop back into coverage, the new scheme would as them to focus on the thing: get to the quarterback.
“When Ron and I talked about the roster, talked about the fit, talked about the people we have here,” Del Rio added, “for both of us, it was obvious that a 4-3 would be a good fit.”
Whether or not Kerrigan stays with the team is a different conversation, but the fact remains that in order for the Redskins to get the most out of their defensive roster, a 4-3 is the scheme to go with.
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