In an effort to keep offenses off balance, the New York Giants have been tinkering with using defensive end Justin Tuck as a stand-up rushing linebacker.
"We're toying around with a lot of things, and that's one of them," Tuck told Conor Orr of The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.) on Wednesday. "I'm always open for new things, any time you get an opportunity to showcase your versatility."
The Giants have a history of utilizing different looks to make offenses adjust and to find ways to get pressure on quarterbacks. However, as DeMarcus Ware has pointed out numerous times this offseason, it's much more difficult to stick your hand in the dirt than learn to play standing up.
"Once I know where we're headed with it, I'll study some guys like DeMarcus (Ware) and guys like (Brian) Orakpo in defenses they stand up in," Tuck said. "LaMarr Woodley is another guy."
Any 3-4 looks also might stem from finding a way to try and hide some of the shakiness at the linebacker position.
Tuck sat out Wednesday's practice with back tightness, but he might play in Saturday's preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. We don't expect the Giants to show much of their hand in the preseason -- one of the advantages of adding schemes is that teams won't have film of it early in the season -- but it might be one of the few early chances for Tuck to try his best Woodley impression.
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