The Detroit Lions' veteran defensive line additions, Israel Idonije and Jason Jones, intimated a team seeking to bolster its flexibility and edge run defense this offseason.
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Idonije told SiriusXM NFL Radio that is exactly the plan the Lions have for him.
"I think the focus is first and second down, to be on the end," Idonije recently said, via MLive.com. "Number one, just stop the run. In that the 4-3 style defense, stopping the run is the first focus. After that, whether it's inside on passing situations, or we're going to do something where I'm flexed outside in the (wide) nine to get after it from there."
Playing the wide-nine defensive scheme has led to the Lions' defense being gashed in the gaps, especially noticeable on wham and trap plays. Idonije and Jones have more potential to read these plays than young, pass-rush oriented players such as Willie Young and rookie Ezekiel Ansah.
The veteran additions also give defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham and assistant defensive line coach Jim Washburn mobile pieces who can play multiple positions along the line, allowing them to better adjust to offensive tendencies and make game-time adjustments.
Follow Kevin Patra on Twitter @kpatra.
