It's a "less beefy" nickel if all you do is substitute say Boyd and Guion for Pickett and Raji, and leave the same pedestrian ILB's on the field. What they should be doing, is shitcan the "Jumbo 2-4 nickel" and replace Pickett, Raji, and one of the ILB's with Daniels, D. Jones, and now Thorton. Your OLB's would be Matthews and Peppers, and pick your poison at ILB.
That would not be a "less beefy" nickel b/c Daniels, D. Jones, and Thorton offer size and agility in place of size (Pickett and Raji) and pedestrian (Hawk or Jones).
I'd rather have 3 DL on the field in those situaitons to deal with run/pass - and if you think it is more likely pass there is no rule against lurking your SS near the line. It would allow the defense to show more looks, instead of that mind-numbing static 2-4 down and down.
That's been my bitch about how Capers has run the 2-4 all along.