I don’t think the concern is Sunday’s as much as it is personnel moves. Planning for a 3-4 vs 4-3 is a mindset when evaluating and signing players and managing the roster.
Not as much as one might think. Looking back at the recent acquisitions it’s obvious that teams don’t really care either. I have only gone back two years and only the first round of those drafts. I have used the term of the two systems to make my point clearer.
Defensive end Joey Bosa out of Ohio State was generally considered a great defensive end prospect in a 4-3 system yet was drafted by the Chargers that ran a 3-4 system.
Vic Fangio’s defense also incorporated a lot of 4-3 concepts in Chicago when they drafted a prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker in Leonard Floyd out of Georgia.
The widespread opinion on defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins out of Louisville was that he should play in a 4-3 system to maximize his potential. He was drafted by the Saints whose defensive coordinator Dennis Allen uses a lot of 3-4 concepts.
Most viewed Jarrad Davis as a traditional weakside linebacker in a 4-3 system. He was drafted by the Lions where defensive coordinator Teryl Austin ran a 3-4 system at the time.
Malik Jackson was a defensive end in the Broncos’ 3-4 scheme yet signed with the Jaguars, that utilizes a 4-3 front, in free agency.
Damon Harrison played the nose tackle-position in the Jets’ 3-4 alignment before he signed with the Giants where they ran a 4-3 system.
Chris Baker was a defensive end in the Redskins’ 3-4 system, and then signed with the Buccaneers where they ran a 4-3 system.
--------------------------------
We can also look at the Cardinals. Calais Campbell was a 3-4 defensive end that signed with the Jaguars to play in a 4-3 system.
Kevin Minter was a middle linebacker in a 4-3 system at LSU but was still drafted to play inside linebacker in the Cardinals’ 3-4 scheme.
They drafted Robert Nkemdiche to play in their 3-4 scheme. Nkemdiche played in a 4-3 at Ole Miss.
They drafted Kareem Martin who was universally seen as a traditional 4-3 defensive end only to play in their 3-4 system.
They drafted Markus Golden who nearly everyone thought would only fit as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 system.
These lists can go on as there are numerous examples, and the conclusion will be, like I wrote, that it doesn’t matter what the media and fans call the systems.