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With the move to a 3-4 base alignment, will the adjustment be difficult for the team's standout defensive tackles to play defensive end? Yes, it's only lining up just a few feet outside and still doing the dirty work in the trenches, but are the responsibilities vastly different?– Lawrence Miller/San Diego, CA
Nick: I think it depends on the kind of 3-4 style the Cowboys will play. Because they will be in multiple fronts, it's still going to have 4-3 principles as well. Because of that, I really don't think it's going to be a major adjustment for the tackles. If you listened to Christian Parker's first press conference since being hired as DC, he spoke to creating a scheme that fits the players, more than the other way around.
I think all coaches like to say it, but it doesn't mean they always stick to the plan. Coaches can be stubborn as well and confident in the scheme they want to run, and will assume the players can adjust to it. In this case, I think Parker is going to make sure he runs a defense that complements what Quinnen Williams does best. He's a huge space-eating tackle that has quickness to get up the field. I think you're going to see these "defensive ends" attack the gaps and can get up the field to the quarterback.
Williams is going to be good in just about any defense and the same could be said for Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa. Parker will adjust his scheme to make it fit for them, so I don't think it's going to be a major learning curve for any of them.
Patrik: It won't be difficult at all. To be honest, once the Cowboys acquired Quinnen Williams after having already traded for Kenny Clark, months after extending the contract of Osa Odighizuwa and signing Solomon Thomas, I began to wonder if the tide was shifting toward a possible move to a 3-4 defense ... and here we are. The defensive tackles room is the one most ready for the change, because it'll allow Clark to play true nose tackle with Williams beside him, and vice-versa, at time. Odighizuwa is much better as a pass rushing DT and that means the added spacing should help him thrive, and the same could be said of Thomas. The move to 3-4 might be the best thing to happen to this version of the Cowboys' defensive tackles room, to be honest.
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