[SirClintonPortis]

Originally Posted by The Goat

That's...just...nonsense. Remember had we built the defense around AH (before all the drama) the DL situation was sublime. AC next to AH was amazing. Orakpo could have held down SAM or even become the LDE and then Rocky would be here as WIL regardless. The only absolute need to round out the 4-3 was a legit FS.

More importantly...this is an absurd debate the opportunity cost of blowing up the defense is painfully obvious.

Bottome line is Mike is a megalomaniac and will force the "system" whatever it happens to be on the roster regardless of opportunity cost, scheme fit etc.

Admittedly, I worded that badly. I made it sound like we were set in the secondary and depthwise
The point is, establish the front 7, and team can at least bear the poorness of the secondary behind them with a punishing pass rush and an impenetrable run defense. NT is the key to that, and we need a more prototypical NT to complement Cofield. Rocky and Fletch might need successors in the near future, hence the need for ILBs.

You're use of opportunity cost confuses me. If the opportunity cost of our transition was to stay with the 4-3, we have to look at the production(i.e sacks, turnovers, pressures, coverage) of the various schemes(it would have been new anyway) not just in the short term, where the where one of the inputs(labor, capital) are fixed, but in the long term, where the any input can be modified. The switch to the 3-4 could be considered a very costly investment of sorts(similar to an investment in a new plant, i.e new technology), except poor play is the negative outcome instead of the loss of money. However, if this investment would then help reach a level of productivity well past the old levels, then there is certainly a case to be made for making such an investment.

Also, there is another alternative that could have been the best one(the opportunity cost), which is making a more gradual transition to the 3-4.