New York Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson spent Friday describing a defense built to move its pieces.
One of those looks slides Kayvon Thibodeaux inside, sometimes with Chauncey Golston aligned there as well. Wilson compared the grouping to the NASCAR package the Giants once used with Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umenyiora.
"I like the versatility in all those guys," Wilson told reporters. "Thibs might have a better matchup on a guard. He might have a better matchup on a tackle. It could be Arvell. It could be Burns. So, we have flexibility."
When those players are up on the line, the defense becomes faster.
"It presents problems to other teams," Wilson said. "We'll continue to keep sprinkling that in and expand the package."
The same idea
shows up at inside linebacker. Arvell Reese and Tremaine Edmunds played every snap against Dallas. Wilson called that unusual in today's NFL.
"You still have the ability to go dime and take one off," he said. "But with us, with our flexibility and their athletic ability and their football intelligence, it's a good thing for us that they can play every snap."
Both can handle the WILL or a dime spot.
"There's really not a mismatch problem. When Arvell is on and playing the WILL or dime linebacker position. And then, Tremaine is another good athlete. So, it calms the defense a little bit," Wilson said. "You can move them around. They can play different spots as well. So, it makes the defense even easier not to be able to have to substitute all the time for favorable matchups for the offense."
None of it works without buy-in. Thibodeaux is a veteran edge rusher being asked to work inside.
"It's not about individuals. It's not about all the stats," Wilson said. "There's a bunch of guys that are here that's very selfless. They are team guys. They want their teammates to have success."
Golston fits that profile.
"He's not a big guy, but he plays big," Wilson said, citing his length and consistent technique at the five-technique.
Once they learn the defense, Wilson said, it becomes "just pieces" moving across the board. The scheme already depends on that willingness.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Dennard Wilson: New York Giants defense built on movable pieces, buy-ins
