The last two years, Cincinnati Bengal defensive coordinator Paul Guenther has preached rotation in his defense, versatility. Flexibility matters. It can create mismatches, and theoretically, keep starters fresh and able to make game-changing plays.
In practice though, especially on the defensive line, it proved much harder to execute.
In 2015, Carlos Dunlap played 81.1 percent of the Bengals’ total defensive snaps (per Football Outsiders). Michael Johnson and Atkins each checked in over 70 percent. In base packages, Domata Peko played 50 percent of the team’s snaps. Wallace Gilberry appeared in 58.1 percent, rotating in on nickel downs.