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I’m sorry, I’m not totally buying it.
Brian Costello announced on Wednesday that the Jets will remain a 3-4 defense.
“Many things about the Jets defense will change under new coordinator Gregg Williams, but one thing is surprisingly remaining the same. Contrary to speculation, the Jets will still operate out of 3-4 base defense, according to sources,” Costello wrote. “Williams ran a 4-3 base for the Browns and the Rams before that, which led people to speculate the Jets would be switching. But the Jets feel a 3-4 is the best choice for them and best fits their personnel.”
This announcement is baffling.
First off, Williams has been running a 4-3 defense forever, with New Orleans (where he won a Super Bowl), St. Louis and Cleveland. That is clearly the front he prefers and has been very successful with.
Secondly, why would they bend over backwards to have Williams play a 3-4 front that “best fits their personnel,” when their personnel is pedestrian?
Look, if you are the Denver Broncos, with two star 3-4 outside linebackers in Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, of course if you’re the new head coach you don’t change the system.
But the Jets front seven wasn’t that good last year, not getting much of a pass rush off the edge, and getting gashed by the run up the middle with regularity.
So who cares if you change the front? You have no dynamic edge rushers and have only one difference making defensive lineman, Leonard Williams, under contract.
So why the heck are you jumping through hoops to keep the old system?
Whoever the source is, who told the writer, “the Jets feel a 3-4 is the best choice for them and best fits their personnel” perhaps doesn’t have a keen eye for talent.
As you all know I have been very critical of Darron Lee’s work as a 3-4 inside linebacker since he has a hard time shedding blocks. I’ve written over and over he fits best as 4-3 run-and-hit linebacker.
I recently talked to a Jets source and repeated to this person my feelings about Lee not fitting as an inside linebacker in a 3-4.
The source said to me, “He should hit in a lot better in the new system.”
I also talked to former Jets defensive lineman Mike DeVito on my radio show and asked him about Leonard Williams in a Gregg Williams defense, and he raved about how well Leonard Williams will do in the new defense.
“Big Cat will be great in the 4-3 (front),” DeVito said.
Okay, so now the New York Post announces they aren’t doing it.
What gives?
I don’t 100 percent buy what the source told Costello. I’m not criticizing Costello, but more the info the source gave him.
Here is what I think happened here.
Williams likes to mix in different fronts – 3-4, 4-3, 4-6. The man is very creative.
So yes, the Jets will run some 3-4, no doubt.
But idea that is going to be their main defense, I will believe it when I see it.
Gregg Williams history tells you something entirely different, and the defense he inherited isn’t that good or that talented, so this idea that they would bend over backwards to play a 3-4 to fit the personnel is foolish.
Anybody thinks Gregg Williams is inheriting great 3-4 talent wasn’t watching the games the last couple of years.
February 21, 2019
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