Green Bay Packers defensive linemen B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett have switched positions on the team's starting defensive line, Greg Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

With restricted free agent defensive end Johnny Jolly skipping the OTAs, Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers and defensive line coach Mike Trgovac wanted to experiment.

"It could be (permanent)," Trgovac told Bedard. "This is the time when you want to do things like that."

Pickett, 30, started 9 of 13 games at nose tackle last season, totaling 33 tackles. The Packers used the franchise tag to keep him off the free agent market, and re-signed the 6-2, 340-pound former first-round pick out of Ohio State to a four-year, $24.9 million dollar contract extension.

"At first I wasn't too psyched about it, but this is what's best for the team, I think," Pickett said. "I think B.J. is going to be a great nose. I think he's more of a nose type and I can play the end or the nose."

Chosen with the ninth overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, a contract dispute and training camp ankle injury kept Raji from earning a starting role as a rookie. During the regular season, Raji appeared in 14 games, primarily as a backup end and nose tackle, totaling 25 tackles and a quarterback sack.

"As far as I know, yeah, this is the way we're going to go," said Raji. "I don't know why. I didn't even ask. It was kind of exciting when they told me. I could easily maximize my potential there."

Not many 3-4 teams have two players with the versatility and willingness to play both the end and nose tackle positions. With Cullen Jenkins, who posted 4.5 quarterbacks sacks in 16 starts last season, Jolly, and 2010 second-round pick Mike Neal, the Packers' defensive front is deep and talented, which is no small feat considering they didn't convert to the 3-4 defense until last off-season.