Miami Dolphins DC Vance Joseph explains reasons for 4-3; PLUS other stuff

Armando Salguero wrote:Vance Joseph is a confident man, and if you doubt that please check out my column in today's Miami Herald about the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator who already has very strong feelings about ...

His unit's strength...

His unit's weakness...

How his unit will play...

And how he matches up against the more experienced offensive coordinators in the AFC East.

So go to the column for that. Here, I want to discuss a couple of issues that didn't make it to the column for space reasons but nonetheless are of interest.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2016/05/vance-joseph.html

Sound like Miami doesn't have a the right personnel to run a 3-4 Defense.

DolFan 316 wrote:But I find it hard to see how this will be an attacking D with the league's worst LB corps and possibly worst set of corners as well.

agreed. and i think that is exactly why Joseph hopes his DL can be "attacking" - because he knows full well that his corners and LBs aren't going to hold up if his line doesn't get to the QB fast.

there are 2 reasons why the Phins will continue to run a 4-3.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/05/15/vance-joseph-explains-decision-to-stick-with-4-3-defense-in-miami/

“I don’t want to be a guy who as a coordinator, I’m a 3-4 guy with 4-3 personnel-driven team,” Joseph said. “I’m not going to say, ‘Well, let’s change it,’ and set us back two or three years...then flip it, then you’re three years away again.

he knows he doesn't have 3 years to make this defense good again. and...

There’s another reason for sticking with a 4-3 defense. His name is Ndamukong Suh.

Since Miami has made the financial commitment to Suh, it makes sense to do what’s necessary to get the most out of him. Including not dramatically changing the defense and/or Suh’s role in it.

Suh is a 4-3 guy and does not (will not) play in the 3-4. that is what Joseph means when he says he has 4-3 personnel.

Yeah, I think the crappy LB and CB corps and lack of depth everywhere except DE will be the undoing of this defense. Joseph may or may not be a good coordinator, but I doubt he's a miracle worker.

As far as 4-3 vs. 3-4, I think the switch could have been pretty easily made this offseason if the Phins wanted to do it. There were plenty of 3-4 LBs available in free agency and the draft. And Suh will play wherever and however the Phins tell him to...he's under contract and making an obscene amount of money. I absolutely think he could be a 3-4 NT, and I think he could even play DE in certain situations.

Suh in a 3-4 could be really interesting IMO. You probably would put him at the DE spot, and bring in some wide load like Paul Soliai to eat up the space in the middle. That way Suh can be disruptive and collapse the pocket, instead of just trying to clog up the middle.

Wake could have been kicked back to OLB, along with MCain. Don't know what we would have done with Fede but that's a minimal consideration.

It was definitely an option to go to a 3-4, I'm sure the team discussed it when deciding to ultimately stick to the 4-3. Given the moves we've made, defensive line is definitely a strength for us now, weakest unit is a tossup between defensive back and linebacker.

I'm really hoping someone like Lippet develops quicker than expected, and maybe one of the UDFA linebackers breaks out in the preseason. We will need some good surprises out of the youth on this team to have a chance at doing anything in 2016. Our veteran talent is largely injury prone, underwhelming and thin on depth.

Yeah, it would be great to see some of these young guys have an impact.  I have low expectations for Lippett, but maybe one of these LBs will surprise.

Jordan Phillips is a guy we really need more from.  DT is looking fairly weak after Suh, so if Phillips can step up that would be huge.