Jay Ratliff and 7 NFL Players in Need of a Position Switch Next Season

Dallas Cowboys standout Jay Ratliff headlines a number of players who could use a position switch to produce at a higher level and excel in 2012. Ratliff is amongst those whose skill sets are not easy to define in traditional pro terms and therefore need to be moved around in order to bring out their best.

Players such as Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley and New England Patriots youngster Aaron Hernandez also fit a similar mold. Then there are those who could find themselves forced into unfamiliar surroundings by the advent of new schemes, such as Indianapolis Colts edge rusher Robert Mathis.

Here are eight players, four from each side of the ball, who are in need of a position switch for next season.

8. Devin McCourty, New England Patriots: CB to FS

Bill Belichick should consider moving ball hawk Devin McCourty to free safety on a full time basis. Belichick placed the opportunistic corner in a deep spying safety role in certain nickel packages this season.

The move was mere schematic tinkering from Belichick and something of a "needs must" move given the Patriots lack of depth and overall talent in the secondary. But McCourty has the skills that make a permanent switch a smart idea.

The 5'10", 193-pound former Rutgers star has a knack for reading routes and anticipating throws. McCourty struggled at corner in his second pro season, but a deeper view of the field would allow him to spy a quarterback's intentions and break on the ball.

In this role McCourty would be a real asset in the Patriots' multiple zone coverage schemes and could increase the turnover potential of the entire defense. 

7. Trent Williams, Washington Redskins: LT to RT

The Washington Redskins should consider switching Trent Williams to right tackle next season. The ex-Oklahoma standout has struggled to establish himself as a legitimate option at left tackle for the Redskins, since the team drafted him fourth overall in 2010.

Williams has lacked consistency and continues to be blighted by poor technique. Moving him over to the right side could be a solution to his problems on the field. Williams played 27 games at right tackle for Oklahoma, helping to establish him as one of the top rated linemen in college football. He only moved to the left side in his final season for the Sooners.

Shifting Williams back to his original college position would solve the Redskins' long standing problem at right tackle. Incumbent Jammal Brown has failed to make the position his own and Williams could have better luck.

A positional switch for Williams could help salvage his career development and avoid him hitting bust status. He was suspended for the final four games of the season for substance abuse and the Redskins will likely have little patience for any poor performances on the field in 2012.

6. Robert Mathis, Indianapolis Colts: DE to 3-4 OLB

Free agent Robert Mathis could be the key to the Colts' rumoured switch to a 3-4 defense. The veteran can act as the primary pass-rusher in a 3-4 front, as a standup rusher from an outside linebacker position.

Mathis has amassed 83.5 sacks and 39 forced fumbles in nine seasons. At 6'2" and 245 pounds, Mathis has the frame and speed to generate pressure from a two-point stance and make plays in space.

New head coach and former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano could tweak the defense to create a hybrid role for Mathis, similar to the one he let Terrell Suggs utilise. As a versatile outside linebacker in a 3-4, Mathis could create plenty of havoc next season.

5. Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots: TE to H-Back

Aaron Hernandez is versatile enough to make a position switch to a backfield role work. The 22-year-old rushed five times for 45 yards during the Patriots' 2011-12 campaign.

He is a deceptively quick, long striding and powerful runner who possesses the natural athleticism to amass some big gains on the ground. Aligning Hernandez in the backfield more often would increase the number of possibilities for him in New England's offense.

As a traditional H-back, Hernandez offers the range to attack a defense as either a pass-catching fullback, a slot receiver, or as a power runner.. He could assume many of the duties previously held by the likes of Kevin Faulk and Danny Woodhead.

The Patriots have already laid the groundwork for this switch. But a permanent move would allow them to incorporate a forgotten position and use one of their best athletes to add yet more diversity to their offense.

4. Anthony Spencer, Dallas Cowboys: OLB to ILB

A move to inside linebacker could salvage the flailing career of Anthony Spencer. In five seasons, Spencer has failed to live up to expectations since the Cowboys spent a first-round draft choice on him in 2007.

Despite playing opposite the great DeMarcus Ware, Spencer has not emerged as a credible pass-rushing compliment. But the 28-year-old is a stout run defender who could thrive in the middle of the Dallas 3-4 front.

At 6'3" and 257 pounds, Spencer has the size to take on interior offensive linemen and effectively plug gaps at the inside of a 3-4. He could also be an effective rusher from the middle, as coordinator Rob Ryan likes to bring pressure from central areas.

Most importantly, Spencer would give the Cowboys defense a big-bodied run-stuffer who would replace ageing duo Bradie James and Keith Brooking. He would absorb blockers and keep the dynamic Sean Lee free to flow to the ball and make plays.

3. Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins: TE to FB

Redskins veteran Chris Cooley would make a very useful weapon if utilised more as a traditional fullback. Cooley is still an excellent receiver but has been surpassed at tight end by the younger and more explosive Fred Davis.

Cooley has played in the backfield before and was an effective blocker in the Redskins' narrow Week 3 defeat against the Dallas Cowboys last season. The 6'3", 255-pounder possesses the physicality to be a punishing lead blocker in Washington's zone-based running game.

Aligning the eight-year veteran at fullback is the best way to ensure regularly getting both Cooley and Davis on the field at the same time. The 29-year-old missed 11 games through injury, but if he can return to full health, Cooley can increase the versatility of the Redskins offense from the fullback position.

2. Jay Ratliff, Dallas Cowboys: NT to DE

A switch to defensive end has again be mooted for Cowboys linchpin Jay Ratliff. The change of position could be the key to helping Ratliff get back to his stunning form of 2008 and 2009.

It's not so much that Jay Ratliff is not a force at nose tackle. It's more that a player capable of creating as much interior pressure as Ratliff, might be wasting his best talents lined up over the center. Ratliff would offer more of a pressure threat than most other 3-4 defensive ends in the league.

Moving Ratliff to the edges of the formation will take better advantage of his outstanding first step quickness and allow him to become the kind of dominant pass-rusher his natural skills demand. He has the speed and power to be particularly destructive when taking an inside move and attacking the B-gaps.

The Cowboys should do all they can to maximise the incredible talents Ratliff offers. That means putting him in positions to let him do what he does best and rush the passer on a regular basis. 

1. Jason Smith, St. Louis Rams: RT to LG

Jason Smith has failed to hold down a consistent spot and has been moved around the offensive line during his first three pro seasons with the St. Louis Rams. A move from tackle to guard could be the best way to get the most out of the former Baylor star.

Smith has struggled with injuries and poor form since being the taken second overall in the 2009 draft. He was blighted by concussion problems last season and ended the campaign on injured reserve.

Smith has moved from left tackle to right tackle and is so close to bust status that there have been rumours that the Rams may even release him. Switching Smith over to left guard, would put him back on his more natural side and give the rebuilding Rams an athletic presence at the interior of their front five.

The running game is likely to be the focal point of the offense under new head coach Jeff Fisher and new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Aligning Smith at guard would let the offense run more sweeps, using Smith to lead and get the great Steven Jackson out on the edges more often.