The Washington Redskins signed Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Jason Hatcher, but in they’re 3-4 base defense they aren’t planning on using him as a tackle. According to the Washington Post, they’re planning on using Hatcher as a defensive end.
It isn’t an entirely unfamiliar role for Hatcher, who played defensive end in the Cowboys’ 3-4 defense before they switched to the 4-3 last season. The Redskins will move Hatcher inside to take advantage of the skills he showed at that position in 2013.
“We needed some more depth on our defensive line. I felt like we needed – other than [Brian] Orakpo and [Ryan] Kerrigan on the outside – we needed more of a pass rush mentality from an interior type player,” coach Jay Gruden said Wednesday in Orlando. “Obviously [defensive linemen Barry] Cofield and [Chris] Baker can rush the passer. We need another presence especially in nickel to get someone rushing the passer from the inside. We felt he had one of the better years an inside rusher had in the last few years. He was a priority for us.”