What does your team's nickel defense look like?

[D-Unit]

With the ever more importance of the nickel defense in today's NFL, do a depth chart projection for what you envision your team doing in a 4-2-5 and a 3-3-5 formation. I think this would stir a solid discussion. Go for it!

[Brent]

LE - Ahmad Brooks
DT - Ray McDonald
DT - Justin Smith
RE - Aldon Smith
LB - NaVorro Bowman
LB - Patrick Willis
LCB - Carlos Rogers
NKB - Chris Culliver
RCB - Tarell Brown
FS - Dashon Goldson
SS - Donte Whitner

[Don Vito]

If I had my guess...

LE: Hightower/Ninkovich
DT: Fanene
DT: Wilfork
RE: C. Jones/T. Scott
LB: Mayo
LB: Fletcher
CB: McCourty
CB: Arrington
CB: Dowling
S: Chung
S: Gregory

I'd also look for Jake Bequette to get some looks early. We've lined up in so many different types of fronts, especially on passing downs, that it is hard to project but my best guess would be some formation of that personnel.

[Monomach]

When the Bears go nickel, it's always 4-2-5, usually with these personnel:

LE Israel Idonije
NT Matt Toeiana
UT Henry Melton
RE Julius Peppers
WLB Lance Briggs
MLB Brian Urlacher
CB1 Charles Tillman
CB2 Tim Jennings
CB3 DJ Moore
FS Chris Conte
SS Major Wright

Theoretically, Shea McClellin is an every-down LE (), so I guess Idonije is out.

Major Wright sucks and has always been outperformed by Craig Steltz. I have no idea who gets that strong safety job. Maybe Hardin shocks everyone right out of the gate. Maybe they come to their senses and let Steltz play. Maybe they keep trotting Wright out there no matter how badly he fails (that's the typical Lovie Smith way of doing things).

If he's not a bust, Paea should beat out Toeiana for the lion's share of the snaps in the NT rotation...but I think he's going to be forced into UT, since they haven't replaced Okoye and Melton would lose his effectiveness if he's trying to play 1000 snaps a season.

Other than LE, SS, and NT, we have good personnel at every spot, so nothing else should see turnover.

[Don Vito]

Henry Melton is going to be a force this year I think, so much physical ability and I think he's finally found a role/position where he can use his crazy talents properly.

[mightytitan9]

Hard to predict with so many new comers on defense.

If I had to guess right now:

LE: Derrick Morgan
DT: Karl Klug
DT: Mike Martin
RE: Kamerion Wimbley
LB: Colin McCarthy
LB: Zach Brown
CB: Tommie Campbell
CB: Jason McCourty
NB: Alterraun Verner
S: Jordan Babineaux
S: Michael Griffin

I'm hoping Tommie Campbell shows enough to warrant taking over outside in NB situations and having Verner slide inside.

Also, Akeem Ayers could be a player at LB or DE. I hope Brown can help in the nickel, but Witherspoon may be there

[Sportsfan486]

The Packers play mostly Nickel, likely upwards of 80% of Defensive snaps this upcoming season, with a 2-4-5 alignment loosely based on a 3-4.

We usually line our DTs up as 2 or 3 techniques with the focus being on penetrating the backfield. Then we bring additional pressure mainly from the OLBs but also plenty of blitzes from one of the ILBs and the slot corner, who typically is more of a freelancing safety/corner/linebacker hybrid.

We focused on improving the talent to run this scheme in the draft and our likely depth chart looks like this.

LOLB: Nick Perry
DT: Jerel Worthy
DT:B.J Raji
ROLB: Clay Matthews
ILB: D.J. Smith
ILB: Desmond Bishop
CB: Sam Shields
CB: Tramon Williams
Slot CB: Casey Heyward
SS: Charles Woodson
FS: Morgan Burnett

The question marks on here would be one of the ILBs (position battle between A.J. Hawk/D.J. Smith and Terrell Manning) and whether we keep Woodson as our slot corner or move him to safety and plug in one of Casey Heyward/Devon House/Jarrett Bush. The rest of the depth chart is basically set, barring a huge disappointment by Worthy or Shields in the preseason.

[gpngc]

Originally Posted by mightytitan9

Hard to predict with so many new comers on defense.

If I had to guess right now:

LE: Derrick Morgan
DT: Karl Klug
DT: Mike Martin
RE: Kamerion Wimbley
LB: Colin McCarthy
LB: Zach Brown
CB: Tommie Campbell
CB: Jason McCourty
NB: Alterraun Verner
S: Jonathan Babineaux
S: Michael Griffin

I'm hoping Tommie Campbell shows enough to warrant taking over outside in NB situations and having Verner slide inside.

Also, Akeem Ayers could be a player at LB or DE. I hope Brown can help in the nickel, but Witherspoon may be there

I hope not...

And here's the best:

DE: Chris Clemons
DT: Jason Jones
DT: Brandon Mebane
DE: Bruce Irvin
LB: LeRoy Hill/Barrett Ruud/Bobby Wagner
LB: K.J. Wright
CB: Richard Sherman
CB: Brandon Browner
NB: Marcus Trufant
FS: Earl Thomas
SS: Kam Chancellor

[Bulldogs]

DE: John Abraham
DT: Jonathan Babineaux
DT: Corey Peters
DE: Ray Edwards / Kroy Bierman
LB: Sean Weatherspoon
LB: Stephen Nicholas
CB: Asante Samuel
CB: Brent Grimes
NB: Dunta Robinson
FS: Thomas DeCoud
SS: William Moore

[BaLLiN]

DE: Jason Pierre-Paul
DT: Chris Canty
DT: Linval Joseph
DE: Justin Tuck
LB: Jacquain Williams
LB: Michael Boley
CB: Corey Webster
CB: Prince Amukamara
CB/S: Terrell Thomas
S: Kenny Phillips
S: Antrel Rolle

[Monomach]

Originally Posted by Don Vito

Henry Melton is going to be a force this year I think, so much physical ability and I think he's finally found a role/position where he can use his crazy talents properly.

He's actually already a force. 7th-most QB pressures of all DTs last season. It's just going to take some time for people to recognize it.

[Matthew Jones]

I'm going to guess:

LE: Jonathan Fanene
UT: Myron Pryor
NT: Vince Wilfork
RE: Chandler Jones
WB: Jerod Mayo
SB: Dont'a Hightower
LCB: Devin McCourty
FS: Steve Gregory
SS: Patrick Chung
NCB: Kyle Arrington
RCB: Ras-I Dowling

[Ravens1991]

DE-Suggs(I know he is hurt but if he was healthy)
DT-Ngata
DT-Pernell McPhee(This guy is a complete beast watch out for him in the future.)
DE-Paul kruger
LB-Jameel McClain
LB-Ray Lewis
CB-Lardarius Webb
CB-Jimmy Smith
CB-Cary Williams
FS-Ed Reed
SS-Bernard Pollard


That secondary is sick. The pass rush should be pretty good too if Suggs is healthy the latter part of the season. But man our LBs will be hurt in coverage.

[scottyboy]

Originally Posted by BaLLiN

DE: Jason Pierre-Paul
DT: Chris Canty
DT: Linval Joseph
DE: Justin Tuck
LB: Jacquain Williams
LB: Michael Boley
CB: Corey Webster
CB: Prince Amukamara
CB/S: Terrell Thomas
S: Kenny Phillips
S: Antrel Rolle

good lord I just popped a chub

[TheBoyWonder22]

Originally Posted by Ravens1991

DE-Suggs(I know he is hurt but if he was healthy)
DT-Ngata
DT-Pernell McPhee(This guy is a complete beast watch out for him in the future.)
DE-Paul kruger
LB-Jameel McClain
LB-Ray Lewis
CB-Lardarius Webb
CB-Jimmy Smith
CB-Cary Williams
FS-Ed Reed
SS-Bernard Pollard


That secondary is sick. The pass rush should be pretty good too if Suggs is healthy the latter part of the season. But man our LBs will be hurt in coverage.

Are we gonna go Upshaw with Suggs out?

[fenikz]

UT Darnell Dockett
NT David Carter
LE Calais Campbell
ROLB O'Brien Schofield
MLB Daryl Washington
LOLB Sam Acho
CB Patrick Peterson
FS Kerry Rhodes
SS Adrian Wilson
NS Rashad Johnson
CB Jamell Fleming/Greg Toler

it's basically Rhodes at SS, Johnson at FS and Wilson as a Rover

[Bixby (Thumper)]

RE - Cole
NT - Jenkins
UT - Cox
RE - Babin
LB - Brian Rolle
LB - Casey Matthews
CB - Nnamdi Asomugha
CB - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
CB - Joselio Hanson / Brandon Boykin
FS - Nate Allen
SS - Kurt Coleman / Jaiquawn Jarrett

[Ravens1991]

Originally Posted by TheBoyWonder22

Are we gonna go Upshaw with Suggs out?

I think its an open battle between Kindle/Upshaw/McCLlean for the spot opposite for Kruger. I think Kruger will get that spot he did get I believe 5.5 or 6.5 sacks as a situational rusher. I love how we have 4 young OLBs it should create a ton of competition for the starting spots.

[ChiFan24]

RE Peppers
UT Melton
DT Paea
LE McClellin
LB Briggs
LB Urlacher
RC Tillman
LC Jennings
NC Moore
FS Conte
SS Wright

Pretty faptastic if you ask me.

[marshallb]

Vikings generally go 4-2-5: with Greenway and Erin Henderson staying in at LB, but every once in a while last year, they would go 3-3-5 with Everson Griffen standing up at LB replacing a DT. There are too many question marks with who will be starting at NT, SS, and NB, among other competitions that could change the likely starter that I won't list the lineup.

[mightytitan9]

Originally Posted by gpngc

I hope not...

And here's the best:

LOL I noticed that after I sent it, it has been corrected

[fenikz]

surprised to see only AZ runs a 3 safety nickle

[Rosebud]

Originally Posted by BaLLiN

DE: Jason Pierre-Paul
DT: Chris Canty
DT: Linval Joseph
DE: Justin Tuck
LB: Jacquain Williams
LB: Michael Boley
CB: Corey Webster
CB: Prince Amukamara
CB/S: Terrell Thomas
S: Kenny Phillips
S: Antrel Rolle

And that's just our base nickel with no Osi, no Kiwi and no Austin on the field.

Originally Posted by fenikz

surprised to see only AZ runs a 3 safety nickle

The giants did with Grant and TT will likely play a lot of safety when we go into the nickel this year

[Mufasa]

Originally Posted by fenikz

surprised to see only AZ runs a 3 safety nickle

How's that surprising? You never really want to run a three safety set unless you're going prevent against a Hail Mary. Ideally you have three good corners you can throw out there. Not many teams actually have three good corners, so if your backup safety is that much better than your nickel corner it's worth a shot. It's something you want to avoid if possible though.

[themaninblack]

Tough to do right now for the Bengals but here's my best guess:

DE- Micheal Johnson/Derrick Harvey
DT- Geno Atkins/Devon Still/Brandon Thompson
DT- Domata Peko/Pat Sims/Jamaal Anderson
DE- Carlos Dunlap/Robert Geathers

LB- Thomas Howard/Manny Lawson
LB- Rey Maualuga/Manny Lawson

NC- Adam Jones/Terrence Newman/Nate Clements/Brandon Ghee
CB1- Leon Hall/Terrence Newman/Brandon Ghee
CB2- Dre Kirkpatrick/Nate Clements/Adam Jones

FS- Reggie Nelson/Robert Sands
SS- Taylor Mays/Robert Sands/George Iloka

We used to run a bit of a 3 safety alignment with Crocker in there playing CB/S at times. I could see us using Nate Clements, Terrence Newman, or even Dre Kirkpatrick in that role. Really depends on how this training camp shakes out as far as who ends up being the #2(Dre hopefully), if Leon is back 100%, and who even makes the team. I could see Ghee, Newman, Clements, or Pac Man getting cut this offseason. CB is going to be a pretty interesting battle to follow.