Do centers need to be bigger in this 3-4 era?

[Fencer]

By John Clayton, in a FA-themed piece:

John Clayton examines free-agent subplots - ESPN

2. Baltimore Ravens center Jason Brown:

With more teams going to the 3-4, centers need to be bigger to handle the nose tackles who line up directly in front of them. The Ravens have been trying to re-sign Brown for months, but he could break the bank in free agency. Losing Brown would hurt the Ravens because they are in a division with big nose tackles, including Casey Hampton in Pittsburgh and Shaun Rogers in Cleveland. Whoever lands Brown will have an insurance policy in case teams in its division shift heavily to 3-4 schemes. The Ravens have to worry about a team such as the Miami Dolphins wooing Brown. Parcells wants the Dolphins to get bigger at center in an AFC East that has 3-4 defenses and big nose tackles on the New York Jets and the New England Patriots. Brown should end up being the highest-paid center in football by the end of the week.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Yes. Every time the Pats played a 3-4 team, Koppen got abused. I'm one of the few that is open to a upgrade at center.

 

[JFK]

I remember Mr. Williams from the Chargers disrespected Mr. Koppen.

 

[jmt57]

Yes. Every time the Pats played a 3-4 team, Koppen got abused. I'm one of the few that is open to a upgrade at center.

I remember Mr. Williams from the Chargers disrespected Mr. Koppen.

Yup, first thing I thought of when I read the original post was Koppen getting thrown around like a rag doll in that Chargers game.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Yes.

The worst thing that can happen to a 3-4 defense is that the NT is handled by the center alone.

Next critical step for New England is to sign Wilfork or draft Mount Cody in 2010.

PS: No center in the NFL can or will be able to handle a healthy Mount Cody one on one.

 

[Fencer]

Koppen is exactly why I posted this.

That said, whether the C or an OT can handle his man one-on-one is almost irrelevant -- the guards just point in different directions in the two scenarios. It would be nice to have OTs who could actually do that ...

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Koppen is exactly why I posted this.

That said, whether the C or an OT can handle his man one-on-one is almost irrelevant -- the guards just point in different directions in the two scenarios. It would be nice to have OTs who could actually do that ...

I think you are comparing apples and oranges. OT have to dance with speed from mostly undersized thin quick ends, while C and OG have to anchor against bull rushing monsters. The shortest path to anopposing QB is still a straight line. Pressure up the middle is the most disruptive force an offense has to deal with.