Edwards will install 3-4 defense

Posted by NBC Sports on February 4, 2010, 4:17 PM EST

Buffalo’s defense has had a few defining characteristics over the last few years.  They have been light, fast, injury-prone, and often overachieving.

That profile is about to change. Buffalo’s new defensive coordinator George Edwards will install a 3-4 defense immediately.

“As far as the initial alignment, the 3-4 is what we will start off with and we will adjust from there,” Edwards said yesterday.

Edwards learned the 3-4 defense while coaching the linebackers in Miami.  He started his coaching career in Dallas under Chan Gailey 12 years ago.

There’s no way to know if Edwards will succeed, but the deck is stacked against him.  His personnel just doesn’t fit the 3-4 scheme.  We hope Ralph Wilson understands this is going to take a while to work.

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27 responses to “Edwards will install 3-4 defense”

  2. Fire sale in Buffalo!
    I hope the Saints look into this. They already grabbed a great MLB in Vilma because the Jets were dumb enough to go 3-4 under Mangini.

  3. to work the 3-4 the Defense needs to be fitted with new faces from the draft. BUT, Buffalo needs some offensive help too. Go DT first then go for an OT or two or three or five

  4. His personnel fits the 3-4 for the most part. They desperately need a Nose Tackle, but aside from that, they should be ok.
    Aaron Maybin, their 1st round draft pick in 2009 is a better fit as a 3-4 OLB (as opposed to 4-3 DE). Aaron Schobel said he’d be better as a 3-4 OLB, Posluszney and Kawika Mitchell would be your ILB’s (although I’d like to see them replace Mitchell).
    Then you have Stroud and Kyle Williams as your DE’s.

  5. Actually I think this could work well for them. it would get Maybin into his natural pass-rushing OLB position for starters.

  6. At least last years #1 pick Maybin will now fit our scheme, but we need a real fat dominant NT and those are hard to come by.

  7. Rosenthal, you are absolutely correct, the Bills will need to completely dump most of their defensive front seven. They will need to pick up a good NT, probably in the draft. Stroud, Williams, Johnson and McCargo will be the DEs. Maybin and possibly Schobel will be the starting OLBs, with Ellis in reserve. If Schobel retires, then they will need to replace him at OLB, but even if they stayed with the 4/3 he would need to be replaced at DE if he retired. The ILBs will be Posluszney and Mitchell. So basically, the need a NT in order to get started. Wow, their personnel sure does not fit the 3/4.

  8. The Vilma trade didn’t work out, but the Jets switch to a 3-4 has ended up paying huge dividends, as it set the stage for Rex to enter.
    Buffalo needs to get the most they can get out of Maybin. I’m not sure if Stroud can play the nose in a 3-4, or whether or not the move could help Mccargo, who has to be considered a major disappointment thus far. The majority of this teams defense talent seems to reside in their secondary, and without any type of offense in the foreseeable future, why the hell not start the transition now?

  9. People thought the Packers would be a long way away from fielding a solid 3-4 as well . . .
    They have a perfect rush OLB already with Maybin.

  10. So this is what a once proud franchise has become.
    As if the last 10 years wasn’t bad enough the Bills look to start the next decade with second rate coaches, that couldn’t find work anywhere else in the NFL, employing schemes that do not fit the personnel already on the roster.
    Ralph you were a titan in the world of football, but everyday it seems like you get closer and closer to being the same kind of joke your old friend Al Davis has already become.

  13. Fire sale in Buffalo!
    I hope the Saints look into this. They already grabbed a great MLB in Vilma because the Jets were dumb enough to go 3-4 under Mangini.
    ———————————————————
    Ha I’m fine with the Jets Defense and inside linebackers. Vilma makes a ton of tackles unfortunately they are usually after the running back has gone 5 yards. Hes a good player hes just a little soft. Let me know when hes on a top 5 defense.

  15. Another 3 or 4 year of the Bills sucking. Maybe Ralph Wilson will pass away in that time and the organization can finally be run by someone who understands the modern game.

  16. As badly suited as the Jets were for the 3-4 when they switched over (Vilma, Abraham, Robertson), the Bills are even smaller and less suited with the current personnel.
    Even if it works out eventually (as it has in NY and elsewhere), there will be some initial problems with fitting the players to the scheme, since they have pass rushing DE’s and small speedy linebackers. Even the Packers who had some immediate success experienced some personnel churn (Kampman).

  18. everyone they have on their front four will be out of place. schobel does not want to play olb. can maybin even play? the way i see it they have two players (mitchell and poz) in place out of the entire front seven. still maybe not a bad idea. the tampa 2 seems like its dead. anyway, i say take clausen in the first if they can. at least a new qb gives the feeling of a hopeful future.

  19. they don’t have anyone who can play on the front three on their roster right now but it isn’t like their run defense can get any worse from 32nd this year so why not

  20. Again… I’m curious as to why there’s no bashing of George Edwards from the Peanut Gallery?
    If it’s not OK for Lane Kiffin to jump from Tennessee after a year for his dream job at USC… why then is it OK for Florida’s Defensive Coordinator to jump ship after only (1) month?
    I understand that Edwards is not Florida’s HC, but come on people, Defensive players signed on the dotted line with Florida to play in a defensive scheme, run by a specific Defensive Coordinator!
    Rosenthal’s last paragraph stated “We can’t help but think the school made sure to keep Edwards’ departure quiet until the day was through.”
    So my question is this PFT… why is it OK for a D Coordinator to jump ship, but not a HC?

  22. The Rumor is that Buffalo want Casey Hampton. But are they willing to part with a first rounder for him? If thats who they want they should negotiate with The Steelers NOW and Perhaps give up a 2 & 3 or Swap 1’s and give up a 2nd.

  23. Why is it that people assume Maybin will be any better than he was this season just because he’s not in a 3 point…. am I missing something?

  24. Maybin is a bust and will suck in any defensive scheme! Poz is too small to play middle or inside LB and the rest of the Bills LBs are the size of safeties………However, when your defense ranked 30th against the run, how much worse could a switch to a 3-4 really be!
    Just sell the team Ralph!

  25. The same dire predictions were made about Denver last year when Mike Nolan installed a 3/4 defense. Mike Nolan took the Broncos from 27th in total defense to 7th in total defense in one year.
    There is free agency and a draft coming up. The sky is not falling.
    GO STEELERS!

  26. If the bills can find a NT, and have the smarts to draft Rondo McClain…they will have a much improved Defense.

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