PHI Defensive in transition (1 Viewer)

[msommer]

Caught this blurb, otiginaly from Graziani at ESPN http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/79376/camp-confidential-philadelphia-eagles-4 in Faust's excellent Training Camp thread in the pool http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=683619

3. What will the defense look like?

"We're going from a wide nine 4-3 defense to a 3-4," Kelly said. "When do we get to a 3-4? I don't know."

What Kelly means is that, while the ultimate goal is to play a base 3-4, two-gap system on defense, he's not going to force square pegs into round holes right away just because that's what he wants. If the players he has on defense aren't ready to swing all the way to that 3-4, two-gap system, then he's going to stop the transition at some yet-undetermined midpoint and fashion his 2013 defense around their capabilities. And if it doesn't work, then they go out next offseason and find personnel who can better handle what he wants to do.

The question is whether a defense can succeed in the short term while it endures such a transition. Change is worth making for the Eagles on defense, but how quickly the players master the changes required of them will go a long way toward determining whether they're a 2013 contender.

To me this is both encouraging and discouraging at the same time. As a Brandon Graham owner I was excited for his prospects on the basis of his improving play over the course of last season - only to see him move to 3-4 OLB in the off season - which traditionally is not a great source of FF points - besides I could have used the point at DL instead. This might get him more 4-3 DE snaps which hopefully translates into more sacks and points in general, at least in 2013.

The discouraging part is the risk that the Eagles defensively are a mess at least to start the season and if it continues will mean a brand new set of personnel next year.

Also it might mean that individual snaps are lower as more players rotate in and out thus tackle opportunities are split out over a larger group of players who then are mired in FF mediocrity.

What say ye - is it time for doom and gloom or the rose tinted glasses on especially the new OLBs? And Mychal Kendricks?