the defensive line

Just tidbits from OTAs.

NT.

I actually think, from what’s being put out there from guys watching practices, that Joseph-Day and Gaines are competing and could end up 1a and 1b to start at NT. Actually at this point J-D is ahead of Gaines. J-D like Kiser is a kind of overlooked 2018 redshirt, but they had good buzz on him going back to last season. It could be that J-D and Gaines end up basically both starting in rotation (and given the nature of the NT position, that would be a really good thing.) But as of right now J-D is ahead.

Fox

According to what’s being said right now, I don’t see him as part of the regular base 3/4 rotation. That would (as of today) probably be Donald, J-D, Brockers, Gaines, and F-M. According to Farr from watching practices, Fox lines up as a pass-rushing DE in pass-rush packages. That kind of makes him a separate animal from the 5 base 3/4 rotation guys. In terms of his physical parameters and skill set, Fox is basically a 4/3 DE (as we all know 4/3 DEs often don’t translate to 3/4 DE, they don’t have the physical bulk and skill set you need).

Given all that, based of course just on early reports, Fox would come in as a 4/3 pass rushing DE in specific pass rushing sub-packages.

(Assuming he makes the team.)

To complicate this a bit, although he would play essentially the role of a pass rushing 4/3 DE in those sets, those sets don’t HAVE TO BE 4/3 sets. They can (in pass rushing situations) be 3-2 or 3-3 sets with nickel or dime packages. But the effect would be the same in terms of how Fox would line up and play. He would line up outside the OT’s shoulder, put his hand in the dirt, and rush the passer.

This fits what’s being said about the D this year. This year Wade is in mad scientist mode and coming up with multiple sub-packages. We may see the base 3/4 less this year than the last 2 years. So to run a lot of sub-packages (of all kinds) you need some guys who specialize in certain roles, and it looks like Fox is lining up as a sub-package pass-rushing DE, which is not the same animal as a base 3/4 DE.

So Fox would probably NOT line up with the base 3/4 at end and try to do Brockers job. (I also doubt he would replace Donald in base 3/4 sets either. Odds are that would be F-M.)

That’s what I have been getting out of the info that’s been put out there, that info being provided by guys who have been watching practices.

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