Packers Provide Big Clue About 3-4/4-3 Mystery at Scouting Combine

INDIANAPOLIS – Under Mike Pettine and Joe Barry, the Green Bay Packers operated out of a 3-4 base defense. Under Jeff Hafley, the Packers moved to a 4-3 base defense.

New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has done both. When he helped lift the Eagles to the Super Bowl, they lined up in a 4-3 base defense. As coach of the Cardinals the past three seasons, they were a 3-4 team.

Given Gannon’s history, what will the Packers use as their base defense in 2026?

Neither Gannon nor coach Matt LaFleur have talked to reporters since the hire – that will wait until LaFleur hires a special teams coordinator and rounds out the staff. At the Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Gutekunst shed some light on the defensive direction.

“I think Jonathan’s got some 3-4 principles in base that you’re going to see that maybe we hadn’t in the last couple of years,” Gutekunst said. “All these defenses are so multiple now. It’s really more about the back end and how we’re going to approach it from that angle. But it’s a nickel defense league right now, so more likely you’re going to see four down, two linebackers, five DBs.”

Nickel is the NFL’s universal base defense, and has been for many years, so the 3-4/4-3 question has been a bit overblown. The Packers lined up in something other than their base 4-3 defense on 62 percent of their defensive snaps last season, according to Sharp Football. That’s actually one of the lowest in the league; the median is 70 percent. The Super Bowl-champion Seahawks lined up in something other than their base 4-3 on a league-high 92 percent of their defensive snaps.

So, to Gutekunst’s point, the Packers – like most teams – will line up most of the time with four on the line of scrimmage, two off-the-ball linebackers, two cornerbacks, two safeties and one in the slot.

Still, every defense has a starting point. For the Packers, it might be back to the 3-4.

After his off-camera session with local reporters inside a conference room at the Westin Hotel on Tuesday, local TV reporters got to ask a series of questions. Asked about team needs, Gutekunst mentioned the secondary and “probably inside linebacker.”

Inside linebacker is a 3-4 term.

“We have a new defensive coordinator, there’s so many things that are undetermined,” he added.

In case you need a reminder, a 3-4 defense includes three defensive tackles, two outside linebackers – edge rushers like Micah Parsons and Lukas Van Ness, for a bucket term – and two off-the-ball linebackers.

At off-the-ball linebacker, if Quay Walker leaves in free agency, the Packers are in good shape with Edgerrin Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie and 2024 third-round pick Ty’Ron Hopper under contract.

At defensive tackle, things are murkier. The Packers were short-handed on the defensive line by the end of last season with Hafley. If Gannon employs a 3-4 base defense, they’d need even more bodies.

“I think this is a good big-guy class, for both offensively and defensively. There’s numbers there,” Gutekunst said.

Jonathan Gannon’s Scheme

When Gannon became coach of the Cardinals, he talked about his scheme with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Or, more accurately, lack of scheme.

“I have no scheme,” he told Breer.

“I don’t even have a playbook,” he added.

Before running his own show, Gannon worked for aggressive coaches (Mike Zimmer) and conservative coaches (Matt Eberflus).

“Zim obviously was in the top five every year, but Josh (McDaniels) is like, ‘Dude, every time we play you, here’s what we do,’” Gannon told Breer. “You gotta figure out a different way. What I got with ‘Flus, it was a completely new scheme. And one I was a little uncomfortable with, because it was a complete different way of playing than Zim played. But I dove all in, I learned it, and there’s elements of ‘Flus’ system that we do because they are really good complements to what Zim’s system is.”

With Gannon using odd- and even-manned fronts, he could bounce back and forth with the Packers. The Packers did some of that last season with Hafley. Frequently, they’d line up in their base 4-3 defense. Before the snap, McDuffie would move to the line of scrimmage to essentially put the defense in a 3-4 look.

Jeff Hafley Ready to Help

During his two seasons as defensive coordinator, Hafley helped the Packers reach the playoffs both times. His units ranked 11th in points allowed in 2025 and sixth in 2024.

He’s been in touch with Gannon.

“The only thing Jonathan Gannon and I talked about was whether he was going to buy my house. And I haven’t heard back from him on it yet. So, I’m beginning to be a little bit disappointed in him,” Hafley joked at the Scouting Combine.

Hafley has a massive overhaul to lead in Miami, with the Dolphins coming off back-to-back losing seasons, facing a massive problem with the salary cap and having no obvious quarterback. However, given his fondness for coach Matt LaFleur and the Packers organization, he’ll set the table as best he can for Gannon.

“I think the biggest thing is I talked to Matt and Gutey and kind of gave them before I left my feel on all the players, because they asked me to sit down with them,” Hafley said. “But if Gannon does want to call me up or any of those guys do, I’ll be happy to talk. You guys know I love those players. And I love Matt.

“So, whatever I can do in the little time that I have, I’ll be happy to help them.”

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