How Hybrid Defenders Are Changing Modern NFL Defenses

The NFL is an ever-changing entity comprised of intelligent people who have dedicated their lives to discovering the slightest tactical advantage. Games are often decided on a small handful of plays that turn the tide for one side. Any misstep or personnel edge can become a great strength or devastating weakness.

As passing-game efficiency has risen over the last decade, defenses have been forced to adjust to become more versatile and less predictable. This includes hybrid defenders who may not have prototypical size or skill sets for one specific position, but can be utilized in various situations and alignments because of their impact defending the pass. The recent revolution has changed how modern defense is played.

According to Pro Football Focus (via Peter King of The MMQB), defenses played in nickel defenses 63.4 percent of all snaps in 2015—an all-time high. With five or more defensive backs on the field, defenses can cover more ground quickly to help smother receiving threats. This inherently gives the offense the opportunity to punish smaller defenders by running the ball or throwing to tight ends.

The counter for defenses has been to find oversized safeties to play at linebacker and to find coverage safeties who can act as a cornerback. This is not only taking advantage of a market inefficiency, as teams have generally overvalued big, hulking linebackers and undervalued the speed and diagnostic ability of safeties who may struggle in a less defined role. But the desperation to be competent against both running and passing offenses has opened the door for numerous players to be more of a defensive weapon for their unit.

The concept of using non-traditional defenders in new roles isn’t unique, as former Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Joey Browner was one of the first linebackers-turned-defensive backs in the 1980s. The 6’2”, 221-pounder was a first-round pick and made six Pro Bowls and three First-Team All-Pro teams with the Vikings. The conversion is now much more popular, as defenses can be amorphous without sacrificing functionality.

The modern NFL has continually maximized similar players in recent seasons. The list of linebacker and safety hybrids isn’t overly deep, but never before have linebackers who weigh 230 pounds or below found this much success.

Name	Team	Age	Height	Weight
Deone Bucannon	Arizona Cardinals	23	6'1"	211
Mark Barron	Los Angeles Rams	26	6'2"	213
Deion Jones	Atlanta Falcons	21	6'1"	222
Telvin Smith	Jacksonville Jaguars	25	6'3"	223
Malcolm Smith	Oakland Raiders	26	6'0"	225
Jatavis Brown	San Diego Chargers	22	5'11"	227
Shaq Thompson	Carolina Panthers	22	6'0"	230

The current gold standard across the league is Arizona Cardinals linebacker Deone Bucannon. The former Washington State safety was a great athlete for his old position before converting, testing above-average in all but the 20-yard shuttle among safeties since 1999, per Mock Draftable. Bucannon has defied the odds as a 6’1”, 211-pound inside linebacker because of his rare ability to win in space as a run defender and in coverage. He’s already amassed 159 solo tackles, five sacks and four forced fumbles in two seasons.

Credit: NFL Game Pass

It was common to hear comparisons to Bucannon this past draft class as analysts desperately clung to the NFL's premier hybrid. This was unwise since he’s a premier player, and the expectation shouldn’t be set so high. Finding an athlete with his box-safety skill set and the surrounding pieces in Arizona that accentuates his strengths is a rarity.

Bucannon is far from the only example, though. Los Angeles Rams weak-side linebacker Mark Barron, who was once considered a stiff, limited run-stuffing safety, now excels using his physicality as a run-and-chase linebacker who doesn’t have to diagnose plays.

The 6’2”, 213-pound Barron had a career-high 113 tackles in 2015 at his new position. He signed a new five-year, $45 million deal in March, which would’ve seemed unbelievable 12 months ago considering his career arc. His deal set the market value for similar players in the future.

Credit: NFL Game Pass

In the past, Bucannon and Barron would have started at safety and ended up being mediocre or lesser starters there. But that’s no longer the case, and each spends a majority of snaps on the field no matter the alignment. Bucannon was on the field for 94.9 percent of all defensive snaps in 2015 and Barron played 79.3 percent. That versatility brings considerable value to defenses.

Two of the more progressive and dynamic defenses in recent years have utilized these undersized hybrids in both base formations and nickel sets. The Seattle Seahawks spent a seventh-round pick on Malcolm Smith in 2011 and the Carolina Panthers selected Shaq Thompson with a first-round pick in 2015. Each has emerged as a key role player with upside.

Smith, who tallied 10 tackles, one interception, one defensive touchdown and a fumble recovery against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, is one of the most unlikely Super Bowl MVPs in league history. The Oakland Raiders signed him to a two-year, $7 million contract in 2015 in hopes of him giving them a similar weapon to utilize. 

With players like Smith, Thompson and Barron, defenses don’t have to rotate to sub-package defenses as often. They’re capable of staying on the field with five defensive backs or allowing the defense to stay with their base personnel. This ensures the run defense won’t suffer from going too small and removing a linebacker from the field.

Covering slot receivers with a 220-pound linebacker may not be sustainable for an entire game, but those capable of doing so effectively for chunks of the game must give offensive coordinators nightmares. Even rookie quarterbacks will take advantage of numbers advantages in the box when five defensive backs are in the game, but a lurking hybrid linebacker with coverage talent creates a difficult decision on audibles.

There has been a shift toward finding diverse talents in the secondary, too. Nickel defense doesn’t just refer to slot cornerbacks on the field. Many defenses have inserted a third safety to act as a downhill enforcer or extra coverage body.

The Cardinals again are among the league's innovators in this category, as third safety Tony Jefferson has become a regular player in the last two seasons. He logged 64.3 and 72.1 percent of all defensive snaps in 2014 and 2015, respectively, which allowed Tyrann Mathieu to play more cornerback than pure safety.

The Broncos expanded their usage of speciality safety play this past season with David Bruton spelling T.J. Ward on 53.9 percent of snaps before he was placed on injured reserve with a fractured fibula. Ward is among the NFL's most limited coverage players but is a hammer working downhill. Bruton allowed him to roam and lurk in a robber role on passing downs.

Legitimate slot safeties have also popped up in the last few years. San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward, Miami Dolphins safety Michael Thomas and Baltimore Ravens defensive back Lardarius Webb have each shown the versatility to play over the receiver in the slot or up high in zone.

There’s an average of one team per conference with the personnel to use either a coverage or box safety in speciality roles. The flexibility to dictate to an offense how they’ll be played could cause another trend in due time. The need for speed will always be present, but power football can still win in the modern NFL as smaller defenders are more coveted than ever before.

A select few players may already be providing the blueprint for the ideal modern-day NFL linebacker. Carolina's Luke Kuechly, Seattle's Bobby Wagner and Myles Jack of the Jacksonville Jaguars are elite athletes with great size. It’s difficult to find those physical specimens, but their value has rocketed up over the past few seasons.

The big, brooding linebackers of yesteryear are long gone. Instead, we’ll continue to see more sleek linebackers who can accelerate and break down in space. Change is constant in the NFL, and offenses will continue to evolve as they react to the increased athleticism and decreased despecialization on defense.

All stats used are from Sports-Reference.com.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

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