NFL Rumors: Ndamukong Suh could get work at DE for Lions
By Dan Zinski
The Detroit Lions have a new coaching staff in place and a new defensive scheme, and part of the plan under new DC Teryl Austin is to get more “multiple” along the defensive line. This will likely mean shifting DT Ndamukong Suh to DE in pass rush situations, says ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
More from Detroit Lions
- Dan Campbell lets Lions fans breathe sigh of relief with C.J. Gardner-Johnson update
- Former Eagles safety, Lions star C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffers scary injury
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson sounds off on Eagles fans in NSFW rant
- Lions trade for risky potential Jameson Williams replacement
- NFL Power Rankings: Who is the best quarterback in each division?
"Suh is still best suited as a defensive tackle, but it wouldn’t shock me if you saw him line up some at defensive end in sub packages and possibly as a stalwart on third downs. Austin is going to move him around as much as possible to get him some pass-rush lanes that might not involve two defenders on some plays. Suh could be a fascinating piece in this defense, and I think you’ll see him in a variety of different places on the front four."
Everywhere you look nowadays, teams are talking about becoming more versatile on the defensive line. The old strict inside/outside positions are being erased as teams incorporate more nickel looks and try to maximize the abilities of their players.
Ndamukong Suh could be a great beneficiary if the Lions stick to their plan of shifting him outside in pass rush situations. Inside, he tends to get swallowed up by double teams. Of course he still has a great impact just by commanding so much attention, but if they can get him outside in some one-on-one situations, he can potentially pad his sack numbers.
Follow Dan Zinski on Twitter
Subscribe to the Fansided Daily Newsletter. Sports news all up in your inbox.