Because no team runs one pure scheme anymore. Not really.
Understanding Defensive Alignments in Today’s NFL
You can’t talk about the Commanders without understanding what 4-3 and 3-4 actually mean in 2024—because the labels are almost outdated. We used to think in boxes: four down linemen, three linebackers? That’s 4-3. Three linemen, four linebackers? 3-4. Simple. Clean. Except that’s not how defenses play anymore. Not in a league where offenses spread the field with three-wide sets on 60% of snaps.
The thing is, base defenses are just starting points. They’re like the foundation of a house—you build on them. The Commanders might line up in a 4-3 base on first down against a run-heavy team like the Eagles, but on second-and-long against the Chiefs? They’ll roll into nickel (five defensive backs) with hybrid players who don’t fit traditional roles. Their so-called “linebacker” might drop into coverage. Their “defensive end” might stand up and rush like a pass rusher. And that’s exactly where the old labels start to crumble.
Scheme fluidity is the new norm. Teams don’t commit to one identity. They adapt. The Commanders, under defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., have embraced this chameleon approach. They’ll show you a 4-3 look with Montez Sweat and Chase Young on the edges, but then shift into a 3-4 front with Jamin Davis as the lone inside backer, letting their safeties creep into the box. They’ve even used a 2-4-5 set—two linemen, four linebackers, five DBs—on passing downs. You could sit there with a playbook and still get confused. And that’s by design.
Breaking Down the 4-3 Defense: Structure and Strengths
A traditional 4-3 uses four down linemen—two tackles and two ends—and three linebackers: weakside (Will), middle (Mike), and strongside (Sam). The linemen are expected to hold the point of attack, while the linebackers flow to the ball. It’s a gap-control system. Each player has a specific area to protect. Run defense is built on discipline. Pass rush comes from stunts, twists, and the occasional linebacker blitz.
Washington has leaned on this for years—especially when they had a dominant interior lineman like Jonathan Allen clogging gaps. When you’ve got Allen at nose tackle and Daron Payne next to him, stuffing the run from a 4-3 front becomes natural. Their 2023 run defense ranked 12th in the league, allowing 112.4 yards per game. That changes everything. It means they can afford to play more aggressively on early downs. But—and this is critical—the scheme only works if the front four can win one-on-one matchups.
The 3-4 Defense: Flexibility and Misdirection
Now flip the script. The 3-4 uses three down linemen (usually a nose tackle and two defensive ends) and four linebackers. The linemen are often bigger, tasked with occupying multiple blockers. The real action comes from the linebackers—some rush, some drop, some spy. It’s more about disguise. You can’t tell who’s coming. Is it the Sam? The Will? The Mike? Or all three?
Back in 2021, under defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, Washington ran a 3-4 base. They had Ryan Kerrigan and Chase Young as edge guys. J.D. McKissic sometimes played a hybrid role. It worked—until it didn’t. Injuries piled up. Young missed time. The secondary struggled. And by 2022, they were switching back. Why? Because 3-4 defenses rely on versatile linebackers. And finding four reliable ones? That’s rare. The league has shifted toward speed. You need coverage linebackers. The Commanders didn’t have enough.
How the Commanders’ Personnel Fit into the Scheme
This is where it gets messy. Coaches don’t pick a defense and then find players. They find players and then build around them. Washington’s shift back to 4-3 wasn’t philosophical—it was practical. They drafted Phidarian Mathis in 2022 and re-signed Payne in 2023. Both are classic 4-3 defensive tackles. Their 2023 draft class included Payne, yes, but also edge rusher David Ojabo—another 4-3 end. The pieces were pointing one way. So the scheme followed.
And that’s how modern roster construction works. It’s reactionary. You don’t force square pegs into round holes. The front office trades for a pass rusher like J.J. Peters (hypothetical, yes, but you get the idea), and suddenly you’ve got a natural 4-3 end. You don’t try to make him a 3-4 outside linebacker. You adapt. Because schemes are tools, not dogma.
But—and here’s the kicker—even when they’re in 4-3 mode, they borrow from 3-4 concepts. For example, they’ll use a “Over” front, shifting the defensive line to one side, just like a 3-4 team would. Or they’ll drop a defensive end into coverage on a stunt, mimicking a 3-4 rush linebacker. The labels don’t matter as much as the function.
The Role of Key Defensive Players
Jonathan Allen isn’t just a tackle. He’s a Swiss Army knife. He lines up at nose, at 3-technique, sometimes even standing up. He recorded 8.5 sacks in 2023—unheard of for a 4-3 tackle. That kind of production forces offenses to double-team him. Which opens lanes for others. And that's the multiplier effect.
Chase Young, when healthy, is a 4-3 end. But he’s also used as a stand-up rusher in obvious passing situations—basically a 3-4 OLB. He had 4 sacks in just 10 games in 2023. That’s efficiency. But durability? That’s the question. You can’t build a full-time 3-4 system around a player with injury history. So they keep him in a hybrid role. Smart. Because over-relying on him as a full-time outside backer would be asking for trouble.
Coaching Influence on Defensive Strategy
Joe Whitt Jr. came from Green Bay, where they ran a mix of 3-4 and 4-3 elements. He’s not a purist. He’s a problem-solver. His background in developing secondary play (he coached Rasul Douglas in KC) means he values DB versatility. And that influences base alignment. When your safeties can play in the box, you don’t need an extra linebacker. So you go 4-3 and bring in nickel packages faster.
Compare that to Del Rio—former 3-4 architect with the Raiders. He loved complex blitz packages and multi-faceted linebacker roles. But he also struggled when the secondary couldn’t hold up. Washington’s 2021 defense allowed 24.3 points per game. That was not sustainable. So when Whitt took over, the shift wasn’t just about scheme—it was about survivability.
4-3 vs 3-4: Which Suits the Commanders Better?
Let’s be clear about this: the 4-3 fits better—right now. Their personnel, coaching staff, and divisional opponents all point to that conclusion. The NFC East is loaded with mobile quarterbacks (Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts). You need edge speed. You need a front that can generate pressure without blitzing. A 4-3 with elite ends? That’s ideal.
But—and this is important—the 3-4 still has value in specific packages. Against the run-heavy Giants in 2022, they used a 3-4 front on 38% of snaps. And it worked. They held Saquon Barkley to 3.1 yards per carry. So the 3-4 isn’t dead. It’s just situational. It’s a spice, not the main course.
People don’t think about this enough: base defense percentage is dropping across the league. In 2023, teams ran base packages on just 42% of defensive snaps—down from 58% in 2018. Nickel and dime are the new base. So asking “Is Washington a 4-3 or 3-4 team?” is almost missing the point. They’re a hybrid team. The number of linemen on the field means less than what the players are asked to do.
Yet, if you’re forced to pick? 4-3 is the answer. Because that’s where their investments are. That’s where their coaching leans. That’s where the game is headed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Did the Commanders Switch Back to a 4-3?
Because of personnel. They had more natural 4-3 linemen than 3-4 linebackers. Also, the league is passing more. You need defensive ends who can rush, not just big bodies to eat blocks. The 4-3 lets them do that more efficiently. And honestly, it is unclear if they’d have switched back if Young hadn’t gotten hurt. Injuries reshape strategies.
Can a Team Be Both 4-3 and 3-4?
Yes. And most are. The line between schemes is blurry. Teams use “packages” tailored to down, distance, and personnel. The Commanders might start in 4-3, then shift to a 3-4 look on third-and-long. It depends on the playcall, the opponent, and the players on the field. It’s not either/or. It’s both—and more.
Who Calls the Defensive Plays for Washington?
Joe Whitt Jr. has final say, but Head Coach Dan Quinn (hired in 2024) is heavily involved. Quinn’s background with the Falcons and Seahawks was 4-3-heavy. His 2016 defense finished second in points allowed. So his influence pushes them further in that direction. That said, Whitt handles day-to-day coordination. It’s a partnership.
The Bottom Line: What the Commanders Really Run
I am convinced that the Commanders are a 4-3 team in structure but a hybrid in practice. They use 4-3 base on about 55% of first-and-10 snaps, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. But on passing downs, they go into nickel 68% of the time—often with only two down linemen. So the base alignment is less important than the sub-packages. And that’s the future of defense.
My personal recommendation? Stop obsessing over labels. Ask instead: who are they putting on the field? What are they trying to disrupt? A 4-3 with zone coverage isn’t the same as a 4-3 with man blitzes. The number scheme doesn’t tell the story.
And here’s a bit of irony: the more complex football becomes, the simpler our analysis should get. Instead of asking “Is it 4-3 or 3-4?”, ask “Does it work?” In 2023, Washington’s defense improved from 27th to 15th in DVOA. That’s progress. We’re far from perfect. Data is still lacking on long-term scheme impact. Experts disagree on whether hybrid systems sacrifice consistency for flexibility. But the results? They speak.
So yes. The Commanders use a 4-3 base. But they borrow from 3-4 concepts, shift into nickel-heavy looks, and morph based on the game state. It’s not one system. It’s many. And in today’s NFL, that changes everything.