The trade of Jason Pierre-Paul sent shockwaves through the NFL on Thursday. While it came as a surprise, one thing it did do was clear up the picture of what the New York Giants defense could potentially look like under new defensive coordinator James Bettcher.
As soon as Bettcher was hired questions arose about how current players on the roster would fit into the base 3-4 scheme, much of them focusing around Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon. Those concerns were mostly overblown considering how versatile Bettcher’s defenses can be. Bettcher and the Giants could have fit both under the new scheme, but it was unlikely that would have lasted for more than a season.