No they're not and I'm so tired of this nonsense. They're nickel backs. Call them Strikers, call them box safeties, call them whatever you want. Manny is not re-inventing defense here. These kids are just 5th DBs WHEN THE OFFENSIVE PERSONNEL CALLS FOR US TO HAVE 5 DBs ON THE FIELD. There are and will be PLENTY of situations when we have 3 backers on the field and 1 of those 3 should NOT be Romeo Finley or Gil Frierson or Derrick Smith. You need to be able to match up with heavy when they go heavy. You can't play 80 plays on defense with 2 true linebackers on the field for all 80. A 4-2-5 is an even front with FIVE DBs.....one of those 5 are Finley/Gil/Smith. But that's not the only defense used here. You need linebackers. Gilbert Frierson is 195 pounds.