Even if he's eating him alive with the bullrush? D-Rob is pretty strong man. I know it's not conventional thinking but stranger things have happened.
He's pretty strong going against interior linemen that he's generally more stout then. Going against guys who are bigger, stronger, longer, and more athletic is a whole other story. I'm not saying he can't, but he would have to raise his game to a whole other level. I'd rather get the picks and salary cap relief than take that chance.
A really good point to consider: in a 34 Defense, the End is essentially being asked to play more of a tackle role. On any given play, the standup OLBs wind up providing the corner rush and, much like a tackle would, the DEs are there MAINLY to take up a body and control their gaps. The gap responsibilities are more DT like than DE like. Just my 2 cents.
Actually I think they do run some...I know they have used the 3-4 alot under Shannahan and whoever on his staff. DRob as a DE has never seemed all that brilliant to me...the shortest 3-4 DE in this league is Castillo at 6-2...but he's got longer arms than DRob and he's a much better pass rusher.
I dont usually do this, but i's late, and the Jack Daniels is kicking in. AYFKM???? It's first grade math. It takes 2 men to block the NT. If you try to block Drob 1 on 1, he wins. That leaves Coleman 1 to 1. Thats 5 men blocking 3, not knowingwhere the other two are coming from, and when they do, one little mistake, and the QB is toast.
I tend to agree he could play DE. He isn't the right height, but as chrisrex and Hobbes pointed out, the position of 3-4 DE is close to the position of 4-3 DT, so I think DRob could do it. He might turn out to be too short out there, but if not, I think he'd be a pretty solid lineman out there
Hold on, if Dewayne Robertson is too small to even play DE, then how did he play DT? What the hell is he big enough to play as? cb? I mean really. He's big.
a 4-3 DE is a different animal than a 3-4 DE. Look a few years ago when Kimo was a force in Pitt's 3-4 scheme. Look at the 3-4 DE's and you'll see that they are actually closer to DT's in a 4-3 scheme than a DE.
This keeps continuing to be brought up on this board, and you know what? That is the stupid argument you can through out there. Too small? You dont have to be 6'4" to be a DE in the 3-4. You have to fill your gaps and clog your holes which usually means your hands are tied up. So what argument are you actually making? Its complete nonsense, study the 3-4 DE's position please.
Come on man, study the 3-4 defense before you make crazy arguments like that. His arms are too short? Robertson as a DE would not be matched up with OTs, OTs would be matched up against our pass rushing LBs. And if DRob were matched up against our DEs his job would not be trying to go around him, he would be trying to clog his hole so our pass rusher would be able to get around him. So your argument is nonsense. We are talking about a DE in the 3-4, you are talking about a DE in the 4-3, some thing we are not doing.
Like it was said above, its nice to see some one gets it. Read into the 3-4 defense Ibleedgreen18, before you come on here and be a smart ass. EDIT: Sorry for multiple posts, I didnt notice when I was doing it.
You're telling people to study the 3-4 and then saying the DE's aren't matched up against the OT's. Really? You honestly think 250 pound OLB's are going 1 on 1 aganist OT's? Epic wrong man. And as far as 3-4 DE's go, one of their biggest jobs is to get their hands up in the QB's passing lane. Drob's stubby little arms on his 6'1 frame would make most QB's giggle.
Actually yea they do go 1 on 1 against OTs, dont you see how many 4-3 DE's get converted to 3-4 OLBs. Come on man.... How many times do you see a 3-4 DE going 1 on 1 or even 2 on 1 against a OT with his goal being getting to the QB? Not often, when it happens that DE's job is clog his gap so the blitzing LB can get around the OT. There biggest job is get there hands up? Not in the 3-4 its not, its to clog their gaps, let the blitzing LBs get in and get his hands up. A 3-4 defense ends 3rd or 4th job is to try and get their hands up, thats a last minute resort.
You're just wrong man. I'm sorry, and it's too late to argue, but I'll take a stab at this. In the 3-4, if the OLB is getting blocked by an OT, your DL has failed on that play. The job of the DL (3) is to take up 1 to 2 OL (5). That leaves the OLB on the TE or the RB. The OLB that gets an OT in his face is usually out of the play. The other OLB has got a shot at the QB if he has a good play. Meanwhile, you got your SS or ILB stunting up the middle. I can't do a chalkboard here, but I think you might get what I'm saying.
No offense, but you're completely off. The DL's job, plain and simple, is to occupy linemen so your LBers can work. The job of a DE is to keep the tackle on them so the OLB can rush. When a tackle gets to the rushing backer, that DE didn't do his job. That's why 3-4 DL have to be so big, atleast two of them have to take on double teams. The NT and one of the DEs. If a 3-4 has successfully completed a play, the NT takes on the center and a guard, one DE takes on the other guard and his tackle, and the other DE takes on the tackle (generally the side a LB is rushing, although not always). Offenses can't pre-plan on putting a tackle on a LB. If that LB doesn't blitz, the OT is out of position, so the DE can use his now created leverage advantage against both of them and then rush the passer or enter the backfield and get the runner. He's first become similar to a 4-3 DE against an OT in that he can rush past him, and the OG is obviously far less athletic and agile with worse footwork. Then when the OT recovers, the DE has already started to disrupt the backfield.
