A true OLB plays 5-yards off the line off scrimmage, plays in coverage against the pass, and only rushes the QB when a blitz calls for it. A player that plays on the line of scrimmage, defends the run as a DE, rushes the QB as a DE, but a couple of times a game drops into zone-flat coverage is a DE. Doesn't matter if he plays out of a two-point stance or a three-point stance, he's a motherfucking DE.
Last season our defense played nickel 70% of snaps. The Buck position doesn't change between base and nickel. That motherfucker is playing DE 95-100% of snaps and it varies a bit depending on how fast/athletic the player is in coverage. In nickel the SAM is the same as Buck, a DE that occasionally drops into coverage. In base, the SAM is a true OLB like I previously mentioned. Overall the Buck is 95% DE 5% OLB and the SAM is 70% DE and 30% OLB. This is why the players at Buck tend to be bigger than players at SAM. The SAM has to a bit lighter and faster because he plays a bit more in coverage. Regardless, both motherfuckers are playing mostly DE unless the defense switches back to being predominantly their base package like it was in 2014. End of argument. Fuck me, Fuck you, and Fuck everybody.