Breaking down the Washington Redskins’ linebackers for 2020

How the 4-3 alignment changes the linebacker corps

The switch to a 4-3 redefines the responsibilities of the linebackers. Ryan Kerrigan has flourished for the past decade as an outside edge rusher in a 3-4 front. That role now goes to the defensive ends – the likes of Sweat and Chase Young.

The 4-3 outside backers will still blitz occasionally, but will more often drop into coverage, watching out for backs in the flat and guarding the perimeters against runs that bounce outside. They tend to be a little smaller and a little quicker. If the offense employs a classic single tight-end set, one of the outside backers tends to be a little bigger so that he can stand up against the tight end’s blocks, or disrupt the tight end’s pass route. But these days, with so many double tight end sets in play, there is little difference between the strong and weak side of the alignment.

The middle linebacker’s role is also reversed. With bigger players on the outside in the 3/4, the two inside backers tended to be a little smaller and quicker. The single middle linebacker in the 4/3 is the most iconic defensive position on the field. He is usually a beast – big, fast, violent. He patrols the middle of the field alone and is charged with making sure nothing gets past him. From his central position, he is also given primary signal-calling responsibilities much of the time.

The Redskins currently have a number of players who could man both outside linebacker positions, but they do not have a classic middle linebacker.