Butler is the new Steelers DC !!!

[keslerclan]

Heyward definitely could be an adequate (if not dominant 4-3 DE), he has played DE and 5 tech at OSU and he could be our best pass rusher (presently) on the roster.

I would compare him to Carlos Dunlap w the Bengals (LDE). Hell, Heyward nearly had as many sacks/pressures as Dunlap while playing inside. While I caught some flack for making direct comparisons to the Bengals 4-3 as an example of how our players would fit (Bengals have had a pretty good D, Ranked 5th last year, New DC this year and lack of production from Adkins/Gilberry hurt them this year), My ideal 4-3 set would line up Heyward, McClendon/McCullers, Tuitt/McCullers and Brandon Graham (or someone like him) at RDE when lined up in the 4-3 front. It would make it an easy switch personnel-wise to switch back to a 3-4 which I would run with Jarvis-LOLB, Heyward-LDE, McClendon/McCullers-NT, Tuitt/Vet-RDE and Graham at ROLB.

I don't know IF we can get Graham now that he's proven he can be productive in either a 4-3 or 3-4 and I heard Philly is now trying to re-sign him after considering him a 4-3 "only" kind of guy only to be surprised at how well he did this year at 3-4 when Cole went down.

To me, this would be the ideal situation IF we are running a hybrid 3-4/4-3 defense. Also, Jarvis might fare better against a RT who are less "technically sound" than a LT by playing LOLB in our base. It doesn't put as much pressure on him to produce either.

 

[stuntmanmike]

Just read butler's interview he said no changes in store. 3-4 best suits today's games. Wants to see more players running to the ball. Really... Some 4-3 in sub packages but we run those formations already. sub packages? More standing around the line "fooling" teams? Pretty shocking to hear what he is saying I mean wheres this great pass rush he is gushing about that's so important going ahead going to come from? Jones??? For the life of me I want what he's smoking.

 

[paperclip]

Just read butler's interview he said no changes in store. 3-4 best suits today's games. Wants to see more players running to the ball. Really... Some 4-3 in sub packages but we run those formations already. sub packages? More standing around the line "fooling" teams? Pretty shocking to hear what he is saying I mean wheres this great pass rush he is gushing about that's so important going ahead going to come from? Jones??? For the life of me I want what he's smoking.

how DARE he not answer all of your questions after being in the position for less than 24 hours. I mean, shouldn't we get to scrutinize his playbook, to really really KNOW if he'll be the savior of our defense?

 

[stillwright]

how DARE he not answer all of your questions after being in the position for less than 24 hours. I mean, shouldn't we get to scrutinize his playbook, to really really KNOW if he'll be the savior of our defense?

Basically he read off the same cue card that Dick would read off of at the end of every season.

 

[Steel G]

Just read butler's interview he said no changes in store. 3-4 best suits today's games.

No he didn't. He said in today's NFL a lot of offenses are running 3 wides with a TE and a RB and in those instances they would be in a 4-3 anyway. But he said there's still a place for the 3-4.

 

[SteelerFan448]

No he didn't. He said in today's NFL a lot of offenses are running 3 wides with a TE and a RB and in those instances they would be in a 4-3 anyway. But he said there's still a place for the 3-4.

I read what Butler said, but I'm not computing the 4-3 when a team has 3WR, TE, RB. Doesn't that call for an extra defensive back on the field?

 

[Tibs]

At the end of the day there will be a new dimension with Butler onboard. I think Tomlin will be much more engaged for the simple reason he had too much respect for LeBeau to tinker with things. It was an established defense for at least a decade, why mess with it? Coach Butler will now have his day in the sun... Not hard to see why he'll be make a great DC or head coach. Looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table, now as his own man. I wonder what this defense will look like schematically, if they go in and make some wholesale changes, take a scalpel to it?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Don't mess with success but lately the D wasn't having as much success.

 

[Steelr4evr]

You must have the talent! No talent=no chance for great success. They need a good draft.

 

[Coach]

I think Lebeau agreed with this.
**** isnt get fixed until we start drafting better players. The thing that worries me about Jones is that no matter how difficult everyone says Lebeaus defense was, when you're a pass rusher and your told the rush the passer you should be able to do it, Jones hasn't done anything when rushing the passer.

Lebeau was working with a broken defense. The pass rush was kaput. LeBeau also had to play aging DB's in Taylor and Polamalu. The Cortez Allen experiment blew up in our faces which meant McCain had to start. Mitchell was new to the defense and had more flags than passes defended. Mix in a few new starters in Tuitt, Shazier, and Spence and I'd say Lebeau did good job playing an average hand.

Going in to the 2015 season we only have to really good players as givens. They are Timmons and Gay. Harrison might not be back. Worilds is likely gone.

I do not expect the defense to quickly rebound simply because there was a coaching change. The most likely possibility is the defense isn't as good as it was in 2014. It will have to be rebuilt, and that means a very good defensive draft is needed, with development from Shazier, Tuitt, and J. Jones.

I think Tuitt is the real deal. Jarvis Jones looks like a bust. Shazier, if he can stay healthy is good.

 

[slashsteel]

I think the defense can go a long way into fixing itself with one good pass rusher and one good corner.

With Harrison, Moats, and Worilds free agents, two OLBers better be brought in one way or another.

(draft or free agency)

Because if the Steelers are banking on Jones (bordering on injury prone, unproductive)

I have some baaaaaad news for you.