Hightower and Collins as down linemen

[Ivan]

Hightower makes some sense as he has the bulk to hold up against OL but there is no way i see Collins playing a real DE spot, he would get eaten up by tackles.

 

[Oswlek]

Last season we broke camp with 6 DE’s:

Jones
Ninkovich
Cunningham
Francis
Scott
Bequette

This season we’re set to break camp with 4 DE’s:

Jones
Ninkovich
Bequette
Buchanan

So that leads me to ask this question will we see Hightower and Collins playing as down linemen in passing situations. I think most of us assume Collins will be, but I am also inclined to believe Hightower will be as well, the thought even occurred to me right before I wrote this out that they could use Hightower in a role similar to what the Giants have done with Mathias Kiwanuka, either as a down lineman over the guard/center or as an odd LB standing over the guard/center.

I read that as having more to do with the team moving away from the "DE as a sub rusher" gambit. If they aren't used there, you aren't going to go much more than three deep most games.

 

[Brady6]

I read that as having more to do with the team moving away from the "DE as a sub rusher" gambit. If they aren't used there, you aren't going to go much more than three deep most games.

I’m not sure if that is the case though, he seemed to favor that look in the preseason and during training camp, I don’t think he was unhappy with the formation, I think he was unhappy with the player in the role, Cunningham played well in the games prior to his suspension, at which time Francis and Bequette started playing in that role, that is when things went downhill, Bequette did nothing at all, and Francis was marginal at best, this preseason he seemed to use only Benard in that role and he did not do anything either. So I am not really sure what the plan is, maybe he will move away from it due to lack of personnel, maybe we will see more 33 and 23 sub packages.