A lot of teams who played viewed Tillery as a 34 DE. The "PROTOTYPE" 34 DE is usually a guy who is 300lb or larger (because they will be closely aligned with the OL), is around 6'4" or taller (for leverage), and has enough speed to contain from an tight shade on the OT, while maintaining the power and quickness to be able to play inside as well. Tillery fits the physical profile. The size to play inside, the speed and flexibility to play outside. Tillery played a lot of 43 DE this season, and was moderately effective (no worse than when inside). Tillery also played NT in college, as well as DT, so he can be effective. But regardless of where he plays, he needs to play a lot better, and the move isn't going to make him a great player all by itself. Tillery is kinda clueless reading plays, and that is a problem in any D.
The catch with playing the 34 is that the players all need to learn a lot more "stuff". There are plenty of over and under shifts, so the DE will line up wide on one play, and line up inside the next. Each alignment will have it's own set of responsibilities even in the base D, some of which will depend on what other players are doing. If the WIll walks out to cover a RB who motions out of backfield, then the DE may be asked to 2 gap, instead of 1 gap. There are lots of types of blocks. A purist may say that he wants the DL to learn a different technique to take on each. A more flexible coach may "double up", willing to do a 2nd best technique executed better than a perfect technique that a player will screw up? It varies a lot.
Ultimately, schemes are schemes. It is more important for players to be fundamentally sound, and that is something we haven't been so good at, and something most of the players who have been playing the last 2 weeks are.
The big issue is that our best defensive players are James and Bosa. Bosa is a better fit for a 43, but he was fine in the Pagano (Wade Phillips) 34 his rookie year.
If Bosa is going to be used as an edge rusher, who lines up opposite him?
Nwosu has been OK, but is not the type of guy I would want to bookend opposite Bosa, regardless of scheme. he can be an effective situational rusher, and is a solid 34 OLB type (it is basically the position he has been playing), but is more of a drop DE than a effective every down rush guy.
Joesph can be a OK NT. After that we are a little short on DL.
We are also pretty weak at LB. Murray flashed ability, and Tranquil played OK as a rookie, but the only other ILB who has shown anything is Perryman and Vigil, who is a a fine backup and ST guy, but a poor starter.
James can play in any secondary if he is healthy. Right now most of the rest of the secondary is mostly zone guys, so that will limit things.
We need a guy who can either teach the guys we have and develop them better than the last staff or can bring in new players and develop them quickly. Either way, there are a lot of holes and only 8 draft picks to fill them (only the top couple of picks really having a chance to do it immediately).
The catch with playing the 34 is that the players all need to learn a lot more "stuff". There are plenty of over and under shifts, so the DE will line up wide on one play, and line up inside the next. Each alignment will have it's own set of responsibilities even in the base D, some of which will depend on what other players are doing. If the WIll walks out to cover a RB who motions out of backfield, then the DE may be asked to 2 gap, instead of 1 gap. There are lots of types of blocks. A purist may say that he wants the DL to learn a different technique to take on each. A more flexible coach may "double up", willing to do a 2nd best technique executed better than a perfect technique that a player will screw up? It varies a lot.
Ultimately, schemes are schemes. It is more important for players to be fundamentally sound, and that is something we haven't been so good at, and something most of the players who have been playing the last 2 weeks are.
The big issue is that our best defensive players are James and Bosa. Bosa is a better fit for a 43, but he was fine in the Pagano (Wade Phillips) 34 his rookie year.
If Bosa is going to be used as an edge rusher, who lines up opposite him?
Nwosu has been OK, but is not the type of guy I would want to bookend opposite Bosa, regardless of scheme. he can be an effective situational rusher, and is a solid 34 OLB type (it is basically the position he has been playing), but is more of a drop DE than a effective every down rush guy.
Joesph can be a OK NT. After that we are a little short on DL.
We are also pretty weak at LB. Murray flashed ability, and Tranquil played OK as a rookie, but the only other ILB who has shown anything is Perryman and Vigil, who is a a fine backup and ST guy, but a poor starter.
James can play in any secondary if he is healthy. Right now most of the rest of the secondary is mostly zone guys, so that will limit things.
We need a guy who can either teach the guys we have and develop them better than the last staff or can bring in new players and develop them quickly. Either way, there are a lot of holes and only 8 draft picks to fill them (only the top couple of picks really having a chance to do it immediately).
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