06-16-2021, 12:52 PM
There is also the outside possibility that the Vikings could put together defensive fronts featuring all three linemen, with Pierce at the nose and Richardson and Tomlinson as closed ends in a 3-4 system reminiscent of the ones Richardson and Tomlinson both played in for their respective New York teams. As Richardson pointed out, he even played a little bit of outside linebacker in New York at 330 pounds. Now, at 286 pounds, he’ll be able to leverage his versatility even more.
Coming out of the draft, both Hunter and Anthony Barr were projected as 3-4 outside linebackers, and it certainly seems possible, especially if the Vikings are confident in Nick Vigil, Cameron Smith or Troy Dye to take over an inside linebacker spot for a few downs.
That might not be the most likely option, but the fact remains that the Vikings have given themselves a bit more flexibility this offseason with players capable of playing every spot in every technique along the defensive line. This could also allow them to try out other defensive fronts that have been popular around the league, like the Bear front or Tite front that have been popular in a number of excellent defenses this past decade.
With the Bear front’s emphasis on crowding the middle and the Tite front’s emphasis on overlapping gap control, both provide remarkable opportunities for the run to be handled up front with lighter boxes that allow the rest of the defense more freedom in coverage support. Variations on these fronts have been used to shut down RPOs, wide-zone teams, inside-zone teams and so on, meaning that the team might be able to craft specific defensive fronts to combat large-scale offensive strategies that teams have begun to identify with.
It also allows them to remain dynamic against offenses with versatile threats. When a two-tight end team lines up, it typically used to run the ball. But when the Patriots in the early 2010s audibled to pass plays against run-stuffing fronts and run plays against coverage looks with their two-tight end set, offenses have been chasing that versatility while defenses have been trying to catch up.
When going up against offenses with that kind of range in their personnel, whether it’s the 49ers and the combination of fullback Kyle Juszczyk and tight end George Kittle or the Ravens with their running-threat quarterback and option game, it behooves defenses to be prepared with multiple approaches.
Not only that, but depth has become more important than ever with an extra game added to the season. While defenses have always tried to maintain a steady rotation among their defensive linemen to prevent fatigue, another game on the schedule means more wear and tear — and makes it less likely that players will have the same juice at the end of the year.
“We’ve got a lot of guys out there now, which you just kind of need in this league,” said Smith. “It’s an even longer season now and those reps add up, so having more and more guys come in and get after the passer and cover on the outside — it’s definitely a good recipe.”
The biggest challenge with Richardson is the concern that he was fairly spotty with the Vikings, putting in tremendous performances some weeks and getting washed out in other weeks without much impact on the stat sheet. If he can bring more consistency, like he has for other teams at times, he’ll help out the defense tremendously.
Coming out of the draft, both Hunter and Anthony Barr were projected as 3-4 outside linebackers, and it certainly seems possible, especially if the Vikings are confident in Nick Vigil, Cameron Smith or Troy Dye to take over an inside linebacker spot for a few downs.
That might not be the most likely option, but the fact remains that the Vikings have given themselves a bit more flexibility this offseason with players capable of playing every spot in every technique along the defensive line. This could also allow them to try out other defensive fronts that have been popular around the league, like the Bear front or Tite front that have been popular in a number of excellent defenses this past decade.
With the Bear front’s emphasis on crowding the middle and the Tite front’s emphasis on overlapping gap control, both provide remarkable opportunities for the run to be handled up front with lighter boxes that allow the rest of the defense more freedom in coverage support. Variations on these fronts have been used to shut down RPOs, wide-zone teams, inside-zone teams and so on, meaning that the team might be able to craft specific defensive fronts to combat large-scale offensive strategies that teams have begun to identify with.
It also allows them to remain dynamic against offenses with versatile threats. When a two-tight end team lines up, it typically used to run the ball. But when the Patriots in the early 2010s audibled to pass plays against run-stuffing fronts and run plays against coverage looks with their two-tight end set, offenses have been chasing that versatility while defenses have been trying to catch up.
When going up against offenses with that kind of range in their personnel, whether it’s the 49ers and the combination of fullback Kyle Juszczyk and tight end George Kittle or the Ravens with their running-threat quarterback and option game, it behooves defenses to be prepared with multiple approaches.
Not only that, but depth has become more important than ever with an extra game added to the season. While defenses have always tried to maintain a steady rotation among their defensive linemen to prevent fatigue, another game on the schedule means more wear and tear — and makes it less likely that players will have the same juice at the end of the year.
“We’ve got a lot of guys out there now, which you just kind of need in this league,” said Smith. “It’s an even longer season now and those reps add up, so having more and more guys come in and get after the passer and cover on the outside — it’s definitely a good recipe.”
The biggest challenge with Richardson is the concern that he was fairly spotty with the Vikings, putting in tremendous performances some weeks and getting washed out in other weeks without much impact on the stat sheet. If he can bring more consistency, like he has for other teams at times, he’ll help out the defense tremendously.
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