Until like a few hours ago, there were 4-3 defensive ends and 3-4 outside linebackers who were the primary pass rushers. And they weren't interchangeable - 4-3 DEs were generally bigger and 3-4 OLBs were generally lighter and more athletic.
Are these two positions now generally seen as the same, manned by players with the same skillsets?
But it is useful to group them together when discussing free agency as guys that can rush the QB (from OLB or DE) will get paid a premium.
Here's a primer:
Link - ( New Window )
Which, I believe, is what the 9ers called back in the '90s...
Quote:
What does the number in "___ technique" signify?
Here's a primer: Link - ( New Window )
Thanks - so it more or less refers to the gaps covered by the DL - never realized that. I always foolishly assumed that a "five technique" did five things really well, like a five-tool player in baseball.
I believe after the Snacks trade, DG stated that they view Tomlinson in the 0/1T role and Hill as a 3T penetrating DT, which he did fairly well as evidenced by his 5.5 sacks.
I view the increased usage of the term "edge rusher" as coinciding with more people being familiar with the salary cap and free agency in general. Comparing Suggs or Von Miller to other elite LBs (e.g. Keuchly) makes less sense than comparing them to other elite pass rushers who happen to play most of their snaps with their hand in the dirt (e.g Watt, Lawrence, etc). Salary wise their are pass rushers and then there are other LBs/DL.
Man, you must have thought 0 technique (nose) were really poor players ;)
Man, you must have thought 0 technique (nose) were really poor players ;) [/quote]
LOL! Yeah, I had never heard 0 technique until I read that PFF piece. It now makes sense.
And therefore you need a couple of not too weak, not too skinny lbs.
And, being a pass happy league, one needs a few lbs that can defend pass.
That's why I talk about it as a 5-0-6.
Aaand, the 2 stout lbs....not only from the 'edge'...it's -any- gap.
It is a fancy way of telling your player what shade or gap to play.
Teams are in Nickel more than half the time so teams are almost always in some form of 4-2-5 alignment.. if those "4" pass rushers are LB's are DE's doesnt matter.
OR ...your 3/4 DE could be asked to line up directly IN the (b?) Gap, possibly with a LB lined right up in the next gap over, or a nose tackle doing double duty for one play to accommodate that.
So it's both a very different 3/4 DE and also a different LB skill set...or alignment visa vis I side and out.
(Because if you move your big OLB to an inside hap you may need the ilb to zone defend the TE pass wise, or slide over and cover.)
In all of the discussions on this site last year over switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4, I never saw anyone refer to Vernon or JPP as "edge" players. They were 4-3 DEs, and the question was whether they had the skillsets to play 3-4 OLB. I've only perceived this "edge" position to have started in the last few months.
For instance, I've only ever seen Josh Allen of Kentucky referred to as "edge." So does that mean that whether a team runs a 4-3 or 3-4, it doesn't matter, and he'll rush the passer from whatever defense is being run?
Or have defenses evolved so drastically over the past 12-18 months that the 3-4/4-3 distinction is now gone?
I’ve seen some guys are listed as pure DEs or OLBs. Nick Bosa and Clelin Ferrell are mostly listed as DEs. Josh Allen and Jachai Polite I’ve seen listed as a pure 3-4 OLB. Guys like Sweat and Burns I’ve seen listed as EDGE.
But at the end of the day, they're pretty much the same thing as a "tweener" or a DE/OLB.
Agree. I think it really began at least before last year's draft. I don't recall the term being used in the 2017 draft, but it could have been.
OLB does not always = pass rusher
Hence the distinction. Not really that hard.
You can be a SAM kind of linebacker with limited pass rushing skills, or a WIL, who is good in coverage with limited pass rushing skills. In both cases, you would be an OLB.
An EDGE guy means you get to the QB. That's the difference.
Teams are in Nickel more than half the time so teams are almost always in some form of 4-2-5 alignment.. if those "4" pass rushers are LB's are DE's doesnt matter.
This pretty much explains it.
-Larger LB size (240 -265 lbs) who will put his hand in the dirt at line of scrimmage.
- has exceptional burst to provide relentless pursuit from the edge (wide, inside, or bullrush OT) with not much stunting.
- provide a little run support on the edge and short flat pass coverage.
I agree with Paulie that the term was first used to describe how the Giants utilized Lawrence Taylor. Fortunately for us he also happened to be incredibly stout against the run, extended his pursuit to the other side of the field to make tackles at the line of scrimmage, and could drop back 5-15 yds in pass coverage.
For today's game, Vonn Miller is your proto-type.
So what happened to 'setting the edge'? Does this now refer to the OT protecting the QB? :)