captain stone
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I'd rather ask "what roles maximize what each player does best" rather than what CAN they play. And while this roster could certainly line up a classic 2-gap 3-4 if required, I don't think it gets the best out of them as a group.
Looking from an optimal rather than possible perspective, I have:
* Chandler Jones - 4-3 DE
* Rob Ninkovich - 3-4 OLB, 4-3 DE
* Jerod Mayo - any 4-3 LB, 3-4 ILB
* Brandon Spikes - 3-4 ILB, 4-3 MLB
* Dont'a Hightower - 4-3 MLB
* Jamie Collins - 3-4 OLB, 4-3 OLB
* Vince Wilfork - 4-3 DT, 3-4 NT
* Kyle Love - 4-3 DT, 3-4 NT
* Armond Armstead, 4-3 DT, 3-4 DE
* Tommy Kelly - 4-3 DT, 3-4 DE
* Brandon Deaderick - 3-4 DE
* Jake Bequette - 4-3 DE
* Michael Buchanan - 4-3 DE, 3-4 OLB
* Jermaine Cunningham - 4-3 DE
* Steve Beauharnais - 4-3 MLB
* Dane Fletcher - 3-4 ILB, 4-3 MLB (maybe 4-3 OLB?)
If I have to pick 7 players from that group for my theoretical midseason base (though we all know that nickel is the real base, right?), assuming all progress reasonably well, I like:
Mayo - Hightower - Collins
Jones - Wilfork - Armstead/Love - Ninkovich
Edit: forgot Deaderick
I agree with all of the player/position entries, only adding that maybe Hightower could be tried as a nickel DE;
Deaderick could also play 4-3 DT; and I see Fletcher as more nickel OLB than MLB.
As for the front 7, I think that Bill is hoping for these guys:
Base
Mayo - Spikes - Hightower
Jones - Love/Deaderick - Wilfork - Armstead/Ninkovich
Sub
Fletcher - Mayo - Collins
Jones - Armstead/Forston - Kelly - one of Cunningham/Bequette/Francis/Buchanan