THE 3-4 DEFENSE AND THE DRAFT

I'm excited. The hiring of Dom Capers means that the 3-4 defense is coming to Green Bay. If my research is correct, that's the 3-4 defense that has been used by 6 of the last 9 super bowl champions; and everyone wants the Lombardi trophy back in Titletown USA. However, the Packers will face big challenges ahead in order to make the transition. The people over at PackerChatters did a size breakdown of the front seven (defensive tackles, defensive ends, inside linebackers, and outside linebackers) of the teams who currently emplore the 3-4. Aaron Kampman, arguably the Packers best front seven player, will not be able to play his traditional position in this defense. The lightest end on any team running this defense is 285 pounds, a full 20 pounds heavier than Kampman is listed on the Packers website. This means he will have to transition to a pass rushing outside linebacker in Capers' scheme, where according to PackerChatters he has the size of a starting strong side backer. Cullen Jenkins seems to be set in stone with a definite position already, as a defensive end. At 305, he is barely above average in size for defensive ends in the new system. Ryan Pickett weighs 322 pounds and that is average size for nose tackles. At the other end, it appears Johnny Jolly will have the best shot at the job, although it is being said there will be a competition. Justin Harrell, who the Packers invested so much in with their number one pick in 2007, is undersized for his position at tackle so he will have to put on some weight and begin to show why we put so much stock in him from the beginning. Nick Barnett, coming off of his ACL surgery, will start as one of the inside linebackers. One challenge he will face is having to learn the defense on the sideline because he is not expected to be ready physically for OTAs. The other inside spot is a question mark. AJ Hawk is a possibility, although if they cannot fill the outside spot opposite Kampman, he may have to make a move as well. This would open up the inside spot for Desmond Bishop, who the Journal Sentinel rumored will have a legitimate shot at starting next to Barnett.

Tom Silverstein, of the JS, spoke with Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler down in Tampa about what the Packers need to do in order to successfully transition into a 3-4 defense. It's in two parts. Part 1. Part 2. Butler thinks that the Packers offseason priorities need to be first in outside linebackers, then nose tackles, then safeties. Silverstein also believes that Al Harris may have trouble in the 3-4, because he likes to play man-to-man bump and run, while the 3-4 requires a lot of zone and run supports from its corners, two things that Harris is not known for. These issues lead into April's draft.

Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN has the Packers taking Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins on his mock draft. This also seems to be a good idea because both Harris and Charles Woodson are beginning to age, and Woodson began to play safety at the end of the 2008 season. Pro Football Weekly also agrees with Kiper on Jenkins: "What better environment for a cornerback to be groomed than under the wing of a future Hall of Famer such as Woodson?" Sports Illustrated suggests the Pack take Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson. This, however, I'm not too sure of. While Johnson is a great end, and a great prospect at that, he would be very undersized for an end in a 3-4 at 260 pounds. That's 5 pounds lighter than Kampman. So, unless they can use him as an outside linebacker, while I have not heard much talk about his cover skills, this pick doesn't make much sense to me. Same thing applies for me with a suggestion I heard of Florida State defensive end Everette Brown. He's even smaller, at 252 pounds, but if the Packers have scouted his cover abilities (I have heard no word of this), his pass rushing ability definitely has potential. The latter two possibilities at the number 9 pick can make even more sense if their pass covering abilities are sufficient, because Aaron Kampman is a free agent at the end of '09, and with the switch to the 3-4, there is no guarantee he returns in 2010.

The 3-4 defense is something to be excited about. Very excited about. Mike McCarthy even admitted he hates having to plan against it. ''From an offensive standpoint, it creates targeting problems." It is a good run defense, it creates a good pass rush; there are so many upsides to it. It does take a legitimate transitioning, however, and that means the ball is in Ted Thompson's hands now. He needs to make the moves necessary in order to put the defense in the best possible situation to succeed.