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It’s hard to tell exactly where the trend began. Some say it started back in the days of Doug Plank and Buddy Ryan’s 46 defense, while others would cite the Vikings’ Joey Browner as a primary agent of change. Bryan Scott is a more modern-day name younger NFL fans may identify with, while Troy Polamalu is more widely recognized for his contributions to evolving defensive schemes.
Whoever truly initiated the shift at the professional level, the widespread growth of linebacker/safety hybrids among NFL defenses is becoming prevalent across the league heading into the 2016 season.
Deone Bucannon, Mark Barron, Reshad Jones, Jaquiski Tartt and others typically dominate hybrid defensive back discussions, although each of these players is actually tasked differently within their defensive scheme. Bucannon and Barron were safeties early in their careers, but now are almost exclusively linebackers, and can be solely identified as such despite the common perception. Tartt could be trending that way, while Jones is simply a safety who thrives in a box-heavy role, similar to how Polamalu was typically deployed in Pittsburgh. Kam Chancellor is another safety with the ability to play all over a defensive front due to his wide array of skills at the position.
Whoever truly initiated the shift at the professional level, the widespread growth of linebacker/safety hybrids among NFL defenses is becoming prevalent across the league heading into the 2016 season.
Deone Bucannon, Mark Barron, Reshad Jones, Jaquiski Tartt and others typically dominate hybrid defensive back discussions, although each of these players is actually tasked differently within their defensive scheme. Bucannon and Barron were safeties early in their careers, but now are almost exclusively linebackers, and can be solely identified as such despite the common perception. Tartt could be trending that way, while Jones is simply a safety who thrives in a box-heavy role, similar to how Polamalu was typically deployed in Pittsburgh. Kam Chancellor is another safety with the ability to play all over a defensive front due to his wide array of skills at the position.
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