Don't Sleep on Marquis Haynes Sr.
The switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 isn't as smooth as one would think. There's a lot that goes into it and you have to have the right body types to make the transition successful.
This is a big reason why the Carolina Panthers traded up in the third round to take Oregon linebacker DJ Johnson, who checks in at 6'4", 260 pounds. They need someone who can help set the edge in the run game but at the same time, apply pressure on the quarterback, opposite Brian Burns.
The Panthers do have other experienced pass rushers on the roster such as Marquis Haynes Sr., Yetur Gross-Matos, and second-year man Amaré Barno. But the question is whether or not any of those guys can step up and be the answer to the Panthers' pass-rushing issues.
Gross-Matos is in a tough spot because he really doesn't fit this scheme and he wasn't very productive in the 4-3, which is a more natural fit for him. Barno showed flashes last season of his potential but he is still a project, in my opinion.
Marquis Haynes, however, might be the best suited to slide into a starting role and produce. Is he going to put up Haason Reddick-like numbers? No, but he would be a much cheaper option ($1.4M) than say, Leonard Floyd, who would demand likely north of $13M/year, a projected market value figure by Spotrac. And if you look at the two side-by-side, Haynes projects to be the better option if given the expanded role.
Over the last two seasons, Floyd has totaled 129 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, and 68 pressures in 1,865 snaps.
As for Haynes, he's recorded 49 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and 24 pressures in just 700 snaps.
If you project that out to Floyd's exact snap count, Haynes would have 130.5 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, and 64 pressures, ousting Floyd in every category aside from pressures.
Now, of course, this is a big IF but it's worth noting. I'm not saying adding another veteran pass rusher would be a bad move, but not for the money that Floyd or others would want. The Panthers can use this year to see if Haynes can excel in an expanded role while also getting a glimpse of what DJ Johnson and Amaré Barno bring to the table.
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