The D-Line

[Super Nomario]

Oliver Thomas at NEPatriotsDraft.com has compiled an exhaustive study of the different 3- and 4-man fronts the Patriots used last year: http://www.nepatriotsdraft.com/2014/06/58-defensive-line-combinations-a-2013-patriots-personnel-study.html
 
Ninkovich / Vellano / Jones / Jones was the most common at 249 snaps, followed by Ninkovich / Jones / Siliga / Jones at 157.
 
The most common odd front was, surprisingly, Jones / Sopoaga / Vellano at 72 - this represents more than half of Sopoaga's 120 snaps.

 

[ivanvamp]

One thing we need to remember about the D-line is that Wilfork, Kelly, Easley, and Armstead are, essentially, additions from last year's team.  Imagine adding those four guys via free agency in one offseason?  It would be epic.  
 
Assuming health (which, with the Patriots, is never a safe or even reasonable assumption), the D-line has a chance to be tremendous this year.

 

[( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)]

Speaking of health: Armstead is present but not participating at OTAs.  No one knows what the deal was with his infection, right?  It was obviously serious if he missed the whole season from it, but could that same type of thing still be affecting his health?  I don't know a lot about this type of stuff. 

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

I really enjoyed Ross Tucker's latest podcast featuring "Booger" McFarland, the former 1st round pick of the Bucs discussing DL formations. 
 
They went "deep-dive" into various schemes and responsibilities, specifically mentioning Pats as a team that used to play 3-4 but has switched to hybrid approach after the loss of Seymour and Warren. If you're still fuzzy about all the different DL play like I am, I think you'll definitely get a lot out of it:
 
http://rosstucker.com/podcasts.html

 

[lambeau]

Have we been seeimg a significant switch to a 3-4? I forgot before practice today that BB praised Easely's ability to play the nose. Could he rotate there on passing downs with Chris Jones, Zach Moore, Will Smith and Tommy Kelly being rotational DE's?
Maybe this is BB's plan to get a pass rush without getting the high-priced DE we all wanted. Might be interesting with fresh DE's and Nink, Collins, and Chandler Jones coming as OLB's.

 

[Super Nomario]

Have we been seeimg a significant switch to a 3-4? I forgot before practice today that BB praised Easely's ability to play the nose. Could he rotate there on passing downs with Chris Jones, Zach Moore, Will Smith and Tommy Kelly being rotational DE's?
Maybe this is BB's plan to get a pass rush without getting the high-priced DE we all wanted. Might be interesting with fresh DE's and Nink, Collins, and Chandler Jones coming as OLB's.

I think this is a look we'll see from time to time. Last year we saw a lot of 4-3 base, some 4-3ish 3-4 fronts where Chandler Jones played DE and Ninkovich played OLB (basically just 4-3 with Ninkovich standing up instead of playing on the line), and some true 3-4 where Jones and Ninkovich played OLB. The problem with 3-4 looks is that you can only play two of Mayo / Collins / Hightower, and you want those three guys playing almost every down in base. I don't think it's a coincidence we saw it with Mayo unavailable; it might be an option they use to allow them to carry less LB depth than usual.

 

[MainerInExile]

I think this is a look we'll see from time to time. Last year we saw a lot of 4-3 base, some 4-3ish 3-4 fronts where Chandler Jones played DE and Ninkovich played OLB (basically just 4-3 with Ninkovich standing up instead of playing on the line), and some true 3-4 where Jones and Ninkovich played OLB. The problem with 3-4 looks is that you can only play two of Mayo / Collins / Hightower, and you want those three guys playing almost every down in base. I don't think it's a coincidence we saw it with Mayo unavailable; it might be an option they use to allow them to carry less LB depth than usual.

Given that Collins and Hightower have both played at the end of the line in camp at least some, they may be able to switch from 3-4 to 4-3 with a lot of the same personnel.  What's interesting to me is that a couple of years ago when they switched to the 4-3, BB talked about teaching only one front (since they used a 4-man line in the sub).  So it seemed to be about simplifying for a young defense.  Now, maybe they're making things more complicated again.

 

[Super Nomario]

Given that Collins and Hightower have both played at the end of the line in camp at least some, they may be able to switch from 3-4 to 4-3 with a lot of the same personnel.

Sure, that's the 4-3ish 3-4 I described above, where you can argue it's a 3-4 or 4-3 depending on where folks are lining up but fundamentally it's a group with 4-3 personnel. What we saw Friday was more of a "true" 3-4, where the line would be something like Vellano - Wilfork - Kelly and the edge rush types (Jones and Ninkovich) playing OLB. In that group, you can only get two of Collins / Mayo / Hightower on, unless you sub out Jones or Ninkovich.
 

What's interesting to me is that a couple of years ago when they switched to the 4-3, BB talked about teaching only one front (since they used a 4-man line in the sub).  So it seemed to be about simplifying for a young defense.  Now, maybe they're making things more complicated again.

They've done this stuff on and off at times; I don't think this is terribly new. Oliver Thomas catalogued the plays last year and found they were in 3-man fronts 22% of the time, which is a lot because, as you note, sub D is overwhelmingly 4-man fronts. That probably means the base D was about 50/50.

 

[Pxer]

They've done this stuff on and off at times; I don't think this is terribly new. Oliver Thomas catalogued the plays last year and found they were in 3-man fronts 22% of the time, which is a lot because, as you note, sub D is overwhelmingly 4-man fronts. That probably means the base D was about 50/50.

The 22% is a huge surprise to me. I remember them dabbling with some different looks in a couple games, but it didn't seem like half of the base formations had only 3 man fronts. And I don't remember any 3-3-5 nickel; I mean, why would you with the personnel we had at LB?