Just a thought, Could Woodley be converted to DE?

With our success of drafting /evaluating LB talent, and with our lack
of a pass rush, I believe his skills would better serve the team with this position
change.We could possibly mimmick the NY Giants and generate more of a pass rush
from athletic people. Kiesel, Heyward, Woodley, Hood should be able to get to the QB.
WE MUST GENERATE A PASS RUSH FROM SOME WHERE.

 

Well, every DE on the roster is 20-30 lbs heavier than Lamar. So I'm guessing he can't be coverted to a DE because he's too small. And if you beef him up he probably loose some speed. He's also 2-3 inches shorter than the other DEs. Not sure if that's relevent either, but it probably says something about the 'body type' required. So while you 'can' put 25 lbs on Lamar Woodley, it ain't as easy to make him 2" taller.

 

i would rather see them change to a 4-3 defense and try and draft a couple DE. they could have Woodley, Timmons and Harrison as the 3 lbs. Farrior is probably done and so is Foote so its seems like a prety easy transition to just using 3 lbs. they need a big nose tackle now that Hampton looks like he is at or near the end and Hoke is gone.

they got next to zero pressure on the qb last year with the 3-4 and i think its a good time to change.

 

All of our olbs missed time last year wood and harrison missed a significant amount of time and harrison wasnt ready at the begining of the season. We never had a healthy wood and harrison combo.

 

I don't think we are build for a 4-3. It will take a couple of years at least to convert to a decent 4-3 team.

Have you watch our Dlinman rush the passer? Keisel, Hood, Heyward, Hampton do not have any skills at rushing the passer. They just stand there and play pity-pat with the olinemen.

If you want to even come close to the giants defensive front you at least need 4 pass rushers and we just have our two outside linebackers.

I would rather stay with the 3-4 because it is more versitile and we can change it up to a 4-3 look and back to a 3-4.

 

sure he could, and kordell could be converted to wr. kemo could be converted to NT, if we had the time.

 

Every body is interested in measurables, I will take passion over measurables anyday.Put 20 pounds on him and tell him to get the Qb same way with the other lineman
protect your gaps but put pressure going upfield. This is not rocket science.
Can you beat the man in front of you?

 

What if you went 4-3 with Woodley - Keisel - Hood - Harrision on the front? There are a number of 4-3 teams that use DE's that are the size of LB's. Timmons as MLB and Sylvester and Worilds as OLB's.

 

Now u are taking two all pro linebackers that probably go down in history as
One of the best tandems in pittsburgh/NFL history to do something they haven't
Done in a while if ever at all. Plus we use this as our pass rushing aligment
Anyway. If we are going to change we need two pass rushing DEs. Woodley
Might work but why create two potenial problems. Plus we would need
Incredible depth along the line.

 

Woodley was De coming out of michigan and coverted to a lb with the steelers.

 

The only way this works is if you move to a 4-3. Woodley and Keisel as DEs and Heyward and Hood as DTs. Don't know that Heyward could work as a DT. That would leave you Worilds and Carter at in-between positions. Timmons and Harrison and Foote or Farrior at the center spot. I don't think we have a great mix at the LB spot.

 

BINGO!! SPOT ON.

 

he was same as most of our OlBs but they were UNDERSIZED DEs why we converte them to LBs plus it make zero since to put Wood at DE many reasons if it aint broke dont fix it we we used our 1st oick two years on DEs why have another one? who you going to sit?

 

I don't know? I do know that we have to get alot more pressure on the QB.We need a line that can do that instead of always relying on the same 2 LBS.

 

Could he be a DE in a 3-4? No. And considering we have a first round draft pick on the bench at the position and Woodley is an elite player right where he is, that would be downright nutty anyway.

Could he be a DE in a 4-3? Yes. But only if we're switching to a 4-3, which I doubt we are.

As for, "wouldn't it help the pass rush if he was a DE and rushing every down?" you have to remember that he is our rushing linebacker. He rushes the passer on almost every passing down and rarely drops into coverage. We usually do rush 4 guys, just like a 4-3 team. On times when he drops back, usually Harrison will be rushing, and he's no slouch himself.

And in obvious passing situations, when we might rush only 3 guys, he's usually one of the three. Maybe always. So if you're talking about changing his position to get him to rush the passer more, it's pretty much not possible. Unless you want to get rid of the handful of times he actually does drop into coverage. Yeah he's not fantastic there, but he's okay, and that's the whole point of a 3-4, to make it a little harder to tell where it's coming from.

 

Wow, no love for Keisel. That guy is all over the place and the biggest ballhawk on the team.

No love for Heyward either. I thought he displayed exceptional pass rushing skills last year, the best of any defensive lineman we have. You can NOT say he just sits there. That guy is a beast.

 

Measurables are important but not as much as heart. People on here are saying we aren't built for the 4-3 and it'd take too long to convert.

Here are some apprx. measures you look for in different schemes.
4-3= DE 6'3"/6'6" 255lbs /280lbs DT 6'1'/6'4" 300lbs/ 330lbs
3-4= DE 6'3"/6'5" 280lbs/ 300lbs DT 6'0"/6'3" 315lbs/ 360lbs
Its not an exact science but in the 3-4 you a DL that's bigger to control two gaps to free up your athletic LBers. In the 4-3 its more single gap with a mix of size and speed. The 4-3 DL should control the line and pressure the QB by themselves. The 3-4 DL needs a blitzing LBer to disrupt the QB.

Our DEs are light 4-3 DEs and heavy 4-3 DEs. They can play both and I'm talking about Keisel & Heyward. McClendon is actually our best proto-typical 4-3 DE that has playing experience (6'4"/280 ) which is stupid for him being our future NT. Hood and Bryant are our other two DL who has playing experience ( Bryant not really but did have some 53 roster time) They are 6' 3"/4" at 300 lbs. Add 15 Lbs of muscle and they're perfect 4-3 DTs.

Woodley is 6'2" 265lbs which is in the range for a 4-3 DE but moreover he has the heart and the skillset to play that Position.

Don't be surprised if we shift towards the 4-3 since we're very very weak at NT which is key for a successful 3-4 scheme.

Cajun-

 

I watch technique when they are rushing the passer and none of them have any. At least what I've seen on tape. ex. Denver game. Not only that game but countless others. When Woodley and Harrison was out, none of these guys stepped up.

 

I think Woodley could be converted, but I don't think it would be a good idea. I think the 3-4 is fine, but definitely failed at pass rush, this year. Let's see what they do, in 2012, and if it doesn't get better, then we probably do need to start discussing some changes.

Anyone think maybe other teams have caught on to LeBeau's blitzing style?

 

Could he?

Absolutely. He was a 43 DE coming out of college.

As far as size goes, Woodley is 6 2 265. About the same size as Robert Mathis, slightly bigger than Dwight Freeny, and slightly smaller than Osi Umineyora... all 3 excellent rushing DEs.

Now if you'd want to switch to a 43 is an all together different question.

 

You might be on to something here. Since Kemo apparently like to hit people (as evidenced by his many penalties), maybe they should convert him to NT? What could it hurt? If he is in the same mold as Casey he could just plug up space, which is certainly something he's good with on the offensive line