RENTON, Wash. -- Red Bryant was a unique defensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks, a huge man with a defensive tackle's mentality and ability who could play outside at defensive end.

Bryant has moved on to Jacksonville this season, but the Seahawks may have found that big-bodied guy who can do some of the things Bryant did in Tony McDaniel.

McDaniel was a force inside at defensive tackle all last season for Seattle, recording 53 tackles and two sacks. But the Seahawks are using him as a defensive end now when they go to their big package up front.

"This year we made the decision in the offseason that he’d be a guy we could feature to do that," Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said of McDaniel, a mountain of a man at 6-foot-7 and 305 pounds. "With some of the teams, we’re going to need to play bigger and feature more big guys.

“For games against teams that are more power-oriented and have really strong running games, we’ll need big guys in there to anchor it down. Tony is someone who has history playing end before coming here. Tony played 3-4 defensive end in both Jacksonville and Miami."

Quinn likes linemen with the versatility to play inside or outside, as Michael Bennett does. Greg Scruggs can play both over center and outside, and the Seahawks are hoping they can get the same type of versatility out of rookie defensive end Cassius Marsh.

"There are some teams where nickel will be a bigger part of the package," Quinn said. "That's why we really try to preach the versatility as often as we can."