Defensive line roster question

[cobra]

I was thinking about what the team does with the Defensive Line. I'm thinking there will be 6-7 spots on the roster for Defensive lineman.

That would be LDE1, LDE2, RDE1, RDE2, NT1, NT2 and then either a 5th end or 2nd NT or neither.

I was thinking that there wouldn't be a need for 3 nose tackles because we aren't in the 3-4 every down. We go to a 4 man front on 3rd and long or obvious passing downs (which I'm thinking there will be a lot of due to our monster D this year).

What percentage of the game are we going to be in a 4 man front? When we are in that, who is playing the line?

I'm thinking the defensive line is going to go something like this:

DE
Canty
Spears
Hatcher
Ratliff

NT
Ferguson
Stanley or Johnson

So who plays in the 4 man front? Can any of those DEs play the NT/DT position to spell Ferguson and the 2nd NT?

It'd be great if we could manage the defensive line with just 6 guys. But I'm wondering if we will need to keep 7 just to have fresh legs and how the rotation breaks down with the 4 man fronts we will run.

 

[speedkilz88]

Parcells has already said that Ratliff can play NT, but there is always the possibility that Stanley could be put on the inactive list.

 

[Anguillidae]

Canty, Spears, Ratliff and Johnson can all play defensive tackle in the nickle.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I think it goes:

DE: Spears, Canty, Hatcher, Ratliff
NT: Feguson, Johnson, Stanley

Ellis will be the fourth man down on the nickel, something like Ellis - Spears - Ratliff - Ware. Or, maybe even Ellis - Spears - Ratliff - Canty/Hatcher with Ware rushing from LB.

 

[cobra]

I think it goes:

DE: Spears, Canty, Hatcher, Ratliff
NT: Feguson, Johnson, Stanley

Ellis will be the fourth man down on the nickel, something like Ellis - Spears - Ratliff - Ware. Or, maybe even Ellis - Spears - Ratliff - Canty/Hatcher with Ware rushing from LB.

Do you think we keep a 7th lineman? If none of the NTs are playing in the 4 man fronts, why do we keep 3 NTs when we only play 3 man fronts 50-65% of the time?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Do you think we keep a 7th lineman? If none of the NTs are playing in the 4 man fronts, why do we keep 3 NTs when we only play 3 man fronts 50-65% of the time?

Just because that's such a physically taxing position, getting double teamed every single play. Ferguson will need breaks, and if someone got injured, we'd need a backup.

So I think Stanley makes it and is inactive most weeks, just like Pepper was last year.

 

[bobtheflob]

If we basically put 4 DEs on the line for Nickel formations, even though most of them are larger than your average 4-3 DE, won't it still make us vulnerable to draw plays up the middle?