Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin isn’t afraid to use every asset he has at his disposal on defense. We saw it last year with then rookie safety Miles Killebrew. Austin used him in a heavy safety dime package, and Killebrew rewarded Austin by making some key plays on the way to the playoffs.
We are seeing it again this year with rookie cornerback Teez Tabor, whose size and smarts have been tapped by Austin for some inside play in the dime.
The ability of those players to play a reserve role early in their careers helped to get their feet wet and become acclimated to the NFL.