Seems like the biggest buzzwords with NFL defenses are "multiple" and "versatile". The line is blurring between CB and FS. Strong Safeties are lining up as LBs. LBs are lining up as DEs. DEs are sliding down to DT. So lets look at some of the "moving pieces" Lou has to work with on defense.

First round pick Dax hall is a perfect example. He is a slot corner/nickel corner/free safety. Despite the fact that he is not very big he is very effective when blitzing. He can play anywhere from tight on the line to deep centerfield.

Second round pick Cam Taylor-Britt is an outside corner who also played safety in college.

Third round pick Zach Carter played both DE and 3T in college. Similar to last year's 4th round pick Cam Sample. Sample quietly played almost a third of the defensive snaps last year (310) with decent production. I think he played almost exclusively DE last year, but we are thinner at 3T this year. Both of these guys can play multiple positions.

Last year's third round pick Joseph Ossai has LB size 6'4" 250, freakish athletic ability (4.6 forty, 41 vertical), and was listed as a LB in college. However we will mostly see him at DE. But if you want to run a zone blitz it is nice to have a DE with 4.6 speed to drop into coverage.

LB Akeem Davis-Gaither has the size (6'2", 215) and speed (4.6) of a big safety but plays LB. The difference in the way he was used in 2020 and 2021 demonstrates exactly what teams are looking for in defensive players. His rookie year he was used a lot as a blitzer (once every 10.1 snaps) and not much in coverage situations (targeted once every 17.4 snaps), but last year he did not blitz near as much (once every 20.7) and was in coverage a lot more (targeted once every 10.3 snaps). I think Davis-Gaither will play a bigger role than many people think in our defense this year. Last year he played over 50% of the snaps in 3 of the 7 games before he was injured and they were three of our best defensive efforts (Pitt 10 points, Det 11 points, Bal 17 points). He was very productive 28 tkls, and 3 PD in only 207 defensive snaps.

Positionless players is something the league has tried to transition to for about a decade now and it's starting to finally take hold. They adopted Edge/IDL over the standard OLB/DE and DE/DT a long time ago but league depth charts on websites haven't really caught up. In general, versatility allows for movement and movement creates confusion. There was a time by pre snap location you basically knew what a guy would do but now with the flexible skill sets you have a lot more post snap rotation.

A perfect example of this, last year in the playoffs we started dropping Hubbard off the edge to either leak to the flat or to spy Mahomes. That adjustment was one that made a large impact. We saw a lot of late rotations post snap of Bell essentially coming down to play as a LB essentially. The more you can do post snap the better your defense can be as QB's have gotten way too good in the presnap to just stand there and play it out.

(05-23-2022, 10:31 AM)Au165 Wrote: Positionless players is something the league has tried to transition to for about a decade now and it's starting to finally take hold. They adopted Edge/IDL over the standard OLB/DE and DE/DT a long time ago but league depth charts on websites haven't really caught up. In general, versatility allows for movement and movement creates confusion. There was a time by pre snap location you basically knew what a guy would do but now with the flexible skill sets you have a lot more post snap rotation.

A perfect example of this, last year in the playoffs we started dropping Hubbard off the edge to either leak to the flat or to spy Mahomes. That adjustment was one that made a large impact. We saw a lot of late rotations post snap of Bell essentially coming down to play as a LB essentially. The more you can do post snap the better your defense can be as QB's have gotten way too good in the presnap to just stand there and play it out.

lets hope we dont start the pre draft:  "what position do you identify with" movement ..LOL (J/K)
I agree with the ADG from Fred Toast, he will make an impact this yr and Ive been impressed with what he has done since he has arrived. 
The dude is much smaller then say David Fulcher or alot of other safetys in the past  but is faster and all over the field and can hit...a very unique player for us.

This is a great topic by Fred. In these days having versatile players especially on defense crucial for depth. And with offenses more dynamic being able to matchup is also crucial. You have to like the plans implemented by Taylor. Really taking shape.

I'd imagine we'll see a change in the franchise rules soon. For instance if we go Nickle this year with Dax, Bates, and Bell on the field and Bell works more as a LB. If we decide to franchise him; he would claim LB and try to get a salary difference of about $6MIL

(05-23-2022, 12:24 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I'd imagine we'll see a change in the franchise rules soon. For instance if we go Nickle this year with Dax, Bates, and Bell on the field and Bell works more as a LB. If we decide to franchise him; he would claim LB and try to get a salary difference of about $6MIL

There have been TE's who have challenged it and it is becoming an issue with edge rushers who technically are OLB vs the DE tag. I think that whole thing will need to be addressed in the near future for sure.

(05-23-2022, 12:24 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I'd imagine we'll see a change in the franchise rules soon. For instance if we go Nickle this year with Dax, Bates, and Bell on the field and Bell works more as a LB. If we decide to franchise him; he would claim LB and try to get a salary difference of about $6MIL

I love when football imitates life:
— First, you have a rule created (franchise tag) that was originally meant to solve a problem perceived to be a quarterback issue.

— Second, you have the rule expanded to apply to all situations (positions).

— Then, you have a growing market innovation that's valued (position versatility), but which creates friction with established rules because it's unaccounted for.

I might guess that the proposed solution will be to calculate the franchise tag based on the % of snaps played at each position. The question then becomes whether a player will resist being utilized at a position of lower financial value. Contracts might then have clauses that say playing a % of snaps at a position will affect the franchise tag in "x" way.

Or maybe we could even end up back where we started; with a completely free market of players where the teams simply decide a player's value to a team.

(05-23-2022, 12:50 PM)Au165 Wrote: There have been TE's who have challenged it and it is becoming an issue with edge rushers who technically are OLB vs the DE tag. I think that whole thing will need to be addressed in the near future for sure.

On the opposite spectrum of this; There's no difference along the oline. So a RG carries the same tag as a LT