[SirClintonPortis]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

And it just isn't possible that many of the guys who performed well last year are aging, having a down year, maybe lost a step or two and were bound to begin a decline at some point anyway. Impossible, right?

Matty said it earlier -- outside of Brian Orakpo and perhaps Lorenzo Alexander, who else among the front seven gives us much hope long term? Who?

Andre Carter? -- he's had an up and down career
Philip Daniels? -- seriously, how the guy has lasted this long is miraculous
Kedric Golston? -- showed promise early, had been going downhill (even in the 4-3)
Adam Carriker? -- ho-hum
Ma'ake Kemoeatu? -- total bust, but what did we expect?
London Fletcher? -- complete stud, but only a year or two left
Chris Wilson? -- situational pass rusher, basically non-existent
H.B. Blades? -- special teamer, nothing more
Rocky McIntosh? -- Our top pick in '06; traded down to grab him, giving away a 2nd the following year, and what do we really have with this guy?

Then there's Vonnie Holliday and Anthony Bryant. Yikes.

And among these guys, there are still those who say that all we have to do is line them up differently and all will be right with the world? Please.

Conveniently ignoring the already-cited fact that Buffalo is performing far better now that they've ditched the 3-4. BTW, that supposedly horrid Bills D only coughed up 20.4 per game(slightly better than us) despite being prone to absolute dud games.

You're confusing long term potential with short-term performance. Just because guys like Fletch isn't going to be giving much years down the road doesn't mean that they can't play now. Also, some of the moves would have never even be considered if the 3-4 switch did not happen. Kemo, Bryant, Carriker, and Holliday would not even be here. We would have been debating which 4-3 SOLB candidates to grab in the draft or FA this past offseason.

Carriker is the only one who fits the 3-4 to a T and is proven to have failed in a 4-3.