We're starting to see this even more on the college level as teams are playing more substitution defense than ever before. Interesting comments from Belichick how it's trickling into the NFL as well.
The increased value that some teams are placing on hybrid players is a result of how offenses have become more spread out, putting more skill-position players on the field (which means defenses are playing more substitution defense). On top of that, as Belichick sees it, "Tight ends have become more athletic and less of the conventional kind of power-blocking type guys" and thus "those matchups keep getting tougher and tougher."
Add it all up, and it's why more teams are valuing safeties who have corner-like skills, or linebackers with safety-type skills.
"You see less of the big run-stopping Ted Johnson, Brandon Spikes type players," Belichick said. "It’s just harder when the offense spreads you out and then they go fast and you can’t substitute and you’re stuck with whoever you have out there. That creates some problems.
"The colleges are seeing the same thing and they probably have to deal with it more than we do because there are so many fast-tempo offenses where they put a lot of fast guys on the field. So they are in the same boat playing a lot of what we call dime defense, or little nickel, or whatever it is. Ends are playing tackle, safeties are playing linebacker, and corners are playing safety. It’s just kind of getting a little bit smaller in a lot of areas."
MOD EDIT - Moved to Other Sports forum
