Being that the current state of practices is a bit removed from actual football, Carolina Panthers defensive line coach Todd Wash likes to refer to organized team activities (OTAs) as “gym class.” Nonetheless, he still has an idea of what the attendance sheet will look like when the actual football does begin.
On Wednesday, Wash answered questions from reporters for the first time since being hired this offseason. He was first asked about Derrick Brown, who has a few new tweaks to make in the team’s switch to a 3-4 base.
“He’s gonna line up in some of the exact same spots he has before,” Wash said. “Over the guard, over the center. We’re just addin’ another little alignment for him, where he goes out and lines up over a tackle at times. But for the most part, his alignments are the same. The biggest change is gonna be the technique.”
All Brown has known, at least over his three-year NFL career, is how to play as one of two defensive tackles inside of a 4-3 front. But, even after having a career year in that role this past season, the 6-foot-5, 320-pounder must be prepared to expand his game from here on out.
Wash noted that Brown, as well as free-agent addition Shy Tuttle, have the ability to play as ends or nose tackles in the new scheme. He also spoke on who will fit primarily into that nose tackle spot.
“Yeah, we got Marquan [McCall]. We have him penciled in as a nose in our base, along with John Penisini,” Wash said. “I had Peni up in Detroit, and he’s a true nose guard. So once he gets out there and starts practicin’ and stuff with us, we feel we have two guys that are big, stout players on the inside with both McCall and Peni.
“And Bravvion Roy is another guy that’s a nose in our system. He’s really startin’ to flash and show some things in this gym class we call it instead of football.”
The football, as Wash added, starts in training camp—where he expects one heck of a competition within his unit.
