Quinton Coples to Play on Defensive Line

Manish Mehta has an interesting quote from Rex Ryan on Quinton Coples' role.

Rex on Coples: "He's going to have his hand in the dirt." Won't be a stand-up LB. #nyj

Perhaps this indicates the Jets are going to go to more 4-3 fronts. Coples definitely has the physical ability to play end in a 3-4 front. He is tall enough at 6'5"-6'6", big enough at around 280 pounds, and has a big wingspan to disengage from blocks. It would feel like a bit of a waste to simply use him as a defensive end in a 3-4 base defense, a spot where it is difficult to make a huge impact because you are constantly facing double teams. The Jets also have a ton of big linemen, including the two they took early last year and Sione Pouha, who they just extended.

I would guess Coples is going to primarily play one position, but I still look for the Jets to move him around at times to try and create mismatches and take advantage of his athleticism.