The defense for the 2011 Carolina Panthers was not great but did show some potential. The Panthers certainly have the base players to build a decent defense with. And face it with Cam Newton on the offense; you don’t need a GREAT defense to win.

The biggest weak spots on the Carolina Panthers defense are defensive tackle and cornerback. The Carolina Panthers had rookie defensive tackles in McClain and Fua in 2011 and they should improve but more talent is needed at the position.

Chris Gamble did step it up this year at cornerback but Captain Munnerlyn should be the nickel corner rather than a starter. If a good second corner to Gamble is picked up by the Carolina Panthers then I would be happy with the position. I like Butler in the secondary and the safeties are adequate. Brandon Hogan should get to show what he has next year after missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury.

Charles “Big Money” Johnson had an ok but not great season but he is the best defensive end for the Carolina Panthers. Johnson and Greg Hardy are a good enough pair to win with in the NFL.  I really like Antwan Applewhite who played well after being picked up by the Panthers after the season started. Applewhite is a free agent though and it’s unclear if he will be resigned by the team for 2012.

Of course the strength of the Carolina Panthers defense is the linebacker position. Getting Jon Beason back from injury is crucial as he is a top three middle linebacker when healthy. The only problem with that is putting Connor back on the bench. Dan Connor plays decently but middle linebacker is his only position.

James Anderson had a great year and teamed with a healthy Beason forms the base of a great unit of linebackers. I have given up on Thomas Davis after his third knee injury and that is a shame as he is one of my favorite players. Jordan Senn and Omar Gaither added some quality depth to the unit and played well at times.

Of course the defense is ran by Sean McDermott who came over after being fired by the Philadelphia Eagles. McDermott is a disciple of deceased Eagles defensive guru Jim Johnson. This system is a 4-3 look with lots of blitzing almost the way a 3-4 defense would do. While I am not sold on McDermott I do think he deserves another season and this time with full camps to install his system.

The Carolina Panthers have been playing around with a 3-4 look on defense and used it briefly in the Falcon game. Coach Ron Rivera has a 3-4 background and the defense needs some sort of shot in the arm.

To the layman a 3-4 may be the perfect solution for a team with a surplus of linebackers even with injuries to Thomas Davis and Jon Beason. However for a permanent switch to the 3-4 the Carolina Panthers will have to retool their roster next season.

Charles “Big Money” Johnson is a 4-3 defensive end not a 3-4 linebacker or nose tackle. James Anderson is versatile and can play in any defense. But I am not sure Beason is an inside linebacker or an outside backer in the 3-4.

To run the 3-4 you need a big blocker eating nose tackle and your defensive ends are more like 4-3 defensive tackles. Those ends must play off blocks and stop the run. The 3-4 outside linebackers provide the pass rush.  

I asked Carolina Panthers linebacker James Anderson about the team using the 3-4 and who the nose tackle would be via School Of The Legends. James Anderson’s reply was as follows.

“We def will show more of it... I just talked a little about it in my new video... it will be more of a change up look for us and I can see it coming into play if we start creating havoc in it... Fua... big Ron Fields.... Kearse... those are all guys.”

Check out that School Of The Legends site if you want to talk to James Anderson or other NFL players as well as see videos and mingle with fans.