I didn't write it but could of...

[hawaiiansteel]

Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette:

To run 4-3 you need 4 stud DL & your OLBs are asked more to cover than rush. Think of Jack Ham (4-3) vs Worilds. Steelers OLB not 4-3 type

[URL]https://twitter.com/EdBouchette[/URL]

[Shawn]

You need 4 Heywards to run an effective 4-3. We have one.

[K Train]

Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette:

To run 4-3 you need 4 stud DL & your OLBs are asked more to cover than rush. Think of Jack Ham (4-3) vs Worilds. Steelers OLB not 4-3 type

[URL]https://twitter.com/EdBouchette[/URL]

Jones, Shazier, and Timmons would all thrive in a 43....worilds would not, but worilds isnt in the long term plans

You need 4 Heywards to run an effective 4-3. We have one.

This.

Maybe 2 with Tuitt...hopefully

[feltdizz]

You need 4 Heywards to run an effective 4-3. We have one.

Tuitt makes 2. I believe he will shine this year.

[Slapstick]

Considering how little time a team spends in a base defense, who cares?

What the Steelers have done in not necessarily draft guys who could fit both 4-3 and 3-4...they have drafted guys who don't need to be substituted when the offense changes up...

In college, Shamarko Thomas showed the ability to play CB at times as well as thump against the run...
Shazier was a the only player in CFB who had 100+ tackles with 20+ of those for loss...yet he makes an INT in practice that has multiple articles written about it....
Heyward could play inside or outside on a 4 man line as well as 5 Tech DE...
Jarvis Jones was supposed to be a sack artist (and still might be) but proved better than expected at setting the edge against the run...

The Steelers want to make the base D as multiple as possible to minimize substitutions...

[K Train]

Tuitt makes 2. I believe he will shine this year.

5 tech is very hard to play for a rookie...its complicated and physically demanding, if tuitt works his way into the rotation at all we should be thrilled with his progress.

Mitchell does not typically play young players and he hates raw players....tuitt isnt exactly raw, but he is young

[phillyesq]

Most scarce or most impactful? I don't think it is scarcity. I think the demand and therefore value is driven by the two positions that impact a game and team success the most---QB and DE sacking machine.

How many complete 4-3 DEs are there that can really rush a passer? Not many - it's easier to find a 3-4 OLB.

And from a basic economics standpoint, the dollars say that it is scarcity.

[Oviedo]

Philly----I would disagree with this constant notion you have that pass rushing defensive line is hard to find. The attached link shows that 7 of the 10 sack leaders last season were defensive linemen and 5 of those were defensive ends.

[URL]http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/defense/sort/sacks/year/2013/seasontype/2[/URL]

Really need to get off this kick that LeBeau's defense is somehow special and pass rushing OLBs are dominating the NFL. Our defense may have been (past tense) great at attacking the QB from the OLB position, but reality is it hasn't been for 3-4 years in those things that it was supposedly designed to do and that is to pressure the QB and create turnovers.

As much as you want to make it seem like this is a me versus LeBeau thing, it isn't. It is a make adjustments when you don't have the right personnel thing and it is a talent replacement thing. Essentially quit hanging onto to something that no longer works because you are stubborn and resistent to change. The last 4 years have clearly shown replacing the talent for LeBeau just seems harder than for most NFL defenses. So obviously finding a 3-4 OLB who is a great pass rusher IS NOT easier than finding a DE. Both may be hard, but that DE isn't taking two years or more to convert and learn a new position.

[feltdizz]

How many complete 4-3 DEs are there that can really rush a passer? Not many - it's easier to find a 3-4 OLB.

And from a basic economics standpoint, the dollars say that it is scarcity.

I don't see why it would be harder to find a DE than an OLB...

[Shawn]

I don't see why it would be harder to find a DE than an OLB...

Speed. It's easier to find a guy at 240 pounds that runs a 4.6 then finding a DE stronger enough to handle NFL tackles and quick enough to get to the QB.

[phillyesq]

Speed. It's easier to find a guy at 240 pounds that runs a 4.6 then finding a DE stronger enough to handle NFL tackles and quick enough to get to the QB.

Exactly. There are plenty of guys who have the size and speed to play outside linebacker, but fewer complete 4-3 defensive ends - guys who can rush the QB while still holding up against the run. You end up with many guys who are substituted for on rush downs.

[phillyesq]

Philly----I would disagree with this constant notion you have that pass rushing defensive line is hard to find. The attached link shows that 7 of the 10 sack leaders last season were defensive linemen and 5 of those were defensive ends.

[URL]http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/defense/sort/sacks/year/2013/seasontype/2[/URL]

Really need to get off this kick that LeBeau's defense is somehow special and pass rushing OLBs are dominating the NFL. Our defense may have been (past tense) great at attacking the QB from the OLB position, but reality is it hasn't been for 3-4 years in those things that it was supposedly designed to do and that is to pressure the QB and create turnovers.

As much as you want to make it seem like this is a me versus LeBeau thing, it isn't. It is a make adjustments when you don't have the right personnel thing and it is a talent replacement thing. Essentially quit hanging onto to something that no longer works because you are stubborn and resistent to change. The last 4 years have clearly shown replacing the talent for LeBeau just seems harder than for most NFL defenses. So obviously finding a 3-4 OLB who is a great pass rusher IS NOT easier than finding a DE. Both may be hard, but that DE isn't taking two years or more to convert and learn a new position.

Ovi, look at the rookie year numbers for those guys. Starting with the top 5, each of whom played DE as a rookie, how many had more than 5 sacks as a rookie? The answer is none, and most contributed very little.

The Steelers are moving towards a D that does not have to substitute. If you play undersized pass rushers at DE throughout a game, they will get worn out and run over.

You can find a DE to rush the passer, but they are typically undersized guys who play in sub packages. I'm talking about complete DEs that can play the run and pass. They're hard to come by. Don't take my word for it; Tomlin is the one who said that it is easier to find players for the 3-4.

[Slapstick]

Philly----I would disagree with this constant notion you have that pass rushing defensive line is hard to find. The attached link shows that 7 of the 10 sack leaders last season were defensive linemen and 5 of those were defensive ends.

[URL]http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/defense/sort/sacks/year/2013/seasontype/2[/URL]

Really need to get off this kick that LeBeau's defense is somehow special and pass rushing OLBs are dominating the NFL. Our defense may have been (past tense) great at attacking the QB from the OLB position, but reality is it hasn't been for 3-4 years in those things that it was supposedly designed to do and that is to pressure the QB and create turnovers.

As much as you want to make it seem like this is a me versus LeBeau thing, it isn't. It is a make adjustments when you don't have the right personnel thing and it is a talent replacement thing. Essentially quit hanging onto to something that no longer works because you are stubborn and resistent to change. The last 4 years have clearly shown replacing the talent for LeBeau just seems harder than for most NFL defenses. So obviously finding a 3-4 OLB who is a great pass rusher IS NOT easier than finding a DE. Both may be hard, but that DE isn't taking two years or more to convert and learn a new position.

But, again, the statistics you cite don't support your point...

Look at the names on your list:

Robert Mathis - 12 years
Robert Quinn - 4 years
Greg Hardy - 5 years
Mario Williams - 9 years
Cameron Jordan - 4 years
Junior Galette - 5 years
John Abraham - 15 years
Jared Allen - 11 years
Chandler Jones - 3 years
Olivier Vernon - 3 years

No rookies...

Of the sack artists on that list, only two of them exceeded 5 sacks during their first NFL season...Allen and Vernon...not even Mario Williams, #1 overall pick, could record 5 sacks as a rookie...

How many exceeded 10 sacks during their first NFL season?

Zero

Regardless of position, it takes most players at least a year to acclimate to the NFL...usually, it takes more than one year for a pass rusher to accumulate a double digit sack total...

[feltdizz]

Speed. It's easier to find a guy at 240 pounds that runs a 4.6 then finding a DE stronger enough to handle NFL tackles and quick enough to get to the QB.

Just find any guy who is 240 and let him run around huh?

You gave a dry azz requirement for the OLB vs an all world DE.

[Oviedo]

Point out all you want that none of the DE mentioned exceeded 5 sacks, but I bet all or most had more than the 1 Jarvis Jones had. Also, I bet these guys typically played more than an OLB typically plays in our system as a rookie.