Biggs: Redskins add an LB coach, moving to 3-4?

Very interesting, from a cap/payroll and special teams perspective you get more value in 3/4, extra people that can run down kicks, at cheaper pay.

Orakpo much better as down lineman in 4-3, so they risk making him less effective.

This makes sense.

Orakpo is a very promising pass rusher who had to drop into coverage far too often as a 4-3 'backer. Haynesworth has the build for a 3-4 end.

Blache retired quietly tonight.

Interesting, because I never thought of Haslett as a 3-4 guy. But what do I know; I rarely watched Haslett-coached teams. Also don't think Haynesworth is a solution as a 30 NT because he rarely plays enough to be counted on as a force - you automatically need to find starting NT 1b if Prince Albert is 1a. Outside as an DE, I'm not sure he's effective etiher. He usually takes on smaller (albeit quicker) G and C and in the 30 he'd have to take on OT who probably size up better than interior linemen. Plus, you can never count on him playing more than 30+ snaps a game.

If you move him to end, fine, but then you have the double problem as having another DE to rotate with Albert AND finding 2 guys to play NT. And with more teams giving a 30 look big road grader NT guys are hard to find who are actually good.

Orakpo as a 30 OLB isn't bad but I don't know how well he'd hold up in space and against the run. As a 30 backer he has to play strong on the end not just rush the passer. I'm sure Orakpo can do it, maybe I just didn't watch the Skins enough this year to see if he did it. Looking at PFR dot com Osackpo had 38 solos. However, looking at Anthony Spencer, a player I'd compare him to at this point in his career (good pass rusher, good run defender), Spencer had 50 solos. Scoring being what it is in the NFL and not an NFL official statistic, take it for what it's worth.

I don't think they have 30 ends, either, and London Fletcher is too small to be left taking on guards and such by himself. Great player, bad fit. Actually across the board they'd need to get bigger at LB, period, with the exception of Orakpo. Rocky McIntosh isn't going to hold up on the outside or inside.

What they could do is operate out of a base 40 look but go a hybrid system and experiment going with different looks in certain down-and-distance situations like Arizona did under Pendergrast last year (didn't watch them enough to see what they did this year, looked like they were more 4-3).

Dallas has trouble with 30 front defenses (GB and PIT notably) and Dallas gave Philly fits with their 30 looks, so from an Xs and Os standpoint it makes sense. However from a personnel standpoint, for 2010, it's a headache. Shanahan has so many other things to fix with this team, going in a new direction with his defense doesn't seem like a priority to me. He only has so many draft picks and free agency will be affected big time by the capless year (new rules on restricted free agents) so there are really only so many roster spots he has to play with.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese wrapped up his two-day interview for the offensive coordinator job today.