The Washington Redskins’ defensive line will look different than it did last year after the team decided to move on from nose tackle Terrance Knighton and defensive end Jason Hatcher, who then retired after 10 seasons.
They didn’t draft a defensive lineman until they selected Temple’s Matt Ioannidis in the fifth round. Washington opted for more versatility by adding players in free agency such as Kendall Reyes and Trent Murphy bulked up in the offseason to switch from outside linebacker to defensive end entering his third season.
Coach Jay Gruden has referenced how often the defense is expected to be in its nickel package, rather than its base 3-4 scheme.