Does McCourty start the season at LCB?

[Kontradiction]

Throughout the offseason, I mostly tempered my expectations for all of the picks, and McCourty was included. I never really took a stance on him outside of the basic, "well, first he has to beat out Wilhite for the slot and then Butler". But, from the looks of it, McCourty has put together a very solid camp and preseason and started with the ones last night. Granted I was at a bar and didn't get a chance to analyze the game like I would like to, but I was impressed with what I saw in terms of his game vs. White as well as his tackling. With that said, do you expect McCourty to start the season opposite Bodden and knock Butler into the slot? Or do you expect Butler to maintain his preseason position across from Bodden with McCourty starting in the slot? What's the general consensus here?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

imo he will start sometime in the middle of the season. i can't believe they will put Bodden on the bench after he signed his contract.

 

[Calciumee]

imo he will start sometime in the middle of the season. i can't believe they will put Bodden on the bench after he signed his contract.

I think it will be Butler benched, not Bodden. But I think DMc has a very good chance of starting day one; but I think it is more likely that Butler will be, and DMc will start sometime later in the season.

 

[Deus Irae]

I think it will be Butler benched, not Bodden. But I think DMc has a very good chance of starting day one; but I think it is more likely that Butler will be, and DMc will start sometime later in the season.

Can you imagine how pissed Butler would be if he lost his job because he was switched over when Bodden went down due to injury and then the team wouldn't let him switch back?

That would make for an interesting episode of Hard Knocks.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

No. Bodden and Butler will start but McCourty will receive a ton of playing time.

 

[Marqui]

As great as McCourty has looked so far, they'll probably still give Butler a chance to prove he can start.

 

[The Dynasty]

I can't see McCourty starting week 1, but he will definitely see significant playing time and will be given the opportunity to earn a starting job. I wasn't a huge fan of the pick on draft day, but I will admit I didnt really give the kid a fair chance. He is an athlete and a good football player. I am starting to actually like the pick because he will definitely have an impact on the team this season

 

[patsinthesnow]

The way the NFL has become so pass-happy, the 3rd CB gets almost starter playing time anyway. McCourty will make an impact at #3 or #2.

He's better suited outside though than Butler. Butler's skillset is good for the slot.

 

[cloud34]

When comparing McCourty and Butler, which one is better suited to cover a Moss type receiver, and which one is better suited to cover a quick slot Welker type receiver.

 

[tombonneau]

I expect him to start week 1 definitely, as I think he is much better suited to handle a physical WR like TO than Butler is. (Butler will be much better off covering Shipley or Caldwell in the slot.)

 

[ausbacker]

I don't think he'll start game 1 but he'll be opposite Bodden by the time the season is done.

 

[Fencer]

I'm guessing McCourty will start.

I'm further guessing that, besides the slot reps, Butler will get a few of the reps a starter would normally get. Bodden is coming back from injury, and McCourty will probably also play a lot of STs. So overall, Butler will likely get a starter's level of snaps.

 

[Schmo]

Why is so much emphasis put on the word "starter" in the NFL?

Starting the game, in the NFL, is no way like being a starter in, say baseball.

In football, the guy who starts may not get back on thefield for the 2nd and/or 3rd downs of the same series of plays. He may be in and out of the game a dozen, or more times.

Unlike baseball where a starter can not come back in once he is take out of the game, being a starter in football is completely, and totally, different and really does not have any special meaning. Football is far too situational for "starters" to be in the game for every play, including the 2nd down of the first series of the game if the situation warrants a change, at his position.

Right. I think McCourty will get just as much playing time as Bodden and Butler. But I think we're questioning what the depth chart is. I believe McCourty is #3.

 

[efin98]

Bodden being out hasn't helped out McCoury to being a possible starter, it has probably helped out Wilhite and Wheatley much more than McCourty. McCourty won't "start" but he will get extensive playing time and would slip in as "starter" if/when one of the "starters" goes down for a game.

 

[BTTA]

I'm just tickled that the team has this question about the CB's.

To have the W boys fighting it out for 4th and 5th position, with one of them perhaps being beaten out by Arrington...wow. That's more athletic talent back there than I've ever seen on a Pats team.

 

[DarrylS]

No. Bodden and Butler will start but McCourty will receive a ton of playing time.

I agree... there will be a lot of rotations in the D backfield..

 

[Steamer86]

McCourty will be better than Revis, especially if Revis continues to hold out. Best corners in the league?

 

[goheels22002]

Right. I think McCourty will get just as much playing time as Bodden and Butler. But I think we're questioning what the depth chart is. I believe McCourty is #3.

This much speed and cover ability is a huge upgrade for this defense over the last few years when the defensive backfield was the big question mark. Safety is young and deep as well. Every defense, but especially the Pats' defense with its multiple looks and cover schemes needs excellent backs to give the LBs and edge rushers flexibility to rush or cover TEs and RBs on passing downs. We saw a bit of that against Atlanta, although they ran such a vanilla offense. Who starts is irrelevant but still a good thread question.

This is looking like BB's best draft yet with all the defensive help, the TEs and the punter. Was Scott Pioli the problem?

 

[Ring 6]

Frankly, it doesnt matter who starts to me, what is important is what we put on the field in 2 minute drills, when we are ahead and other pass obvious situations.
That has been our achilles heel. If we were good in that area since 2004, we would have at least 2 more Lombardis without a doubt, and I suspect even more than that.

 

[Ring 6]

Throughout the offseason, I mostly tempered my expectations for all of the picks, and McCourty was included. I never really took a stance on him outside of the basic, "well, first he has to beat out Wilhite for the slot and then Butler". But, from the looks of it, McCourty has put together a very solid camp and preseason and started with the ones last night. Granted I was at a bar and didn't get a chance to analyze the game like I would like to, but I was impressed with what I saw in terms of his game vs. White as well as his tackling. With that said, do you expect McCourty to start the season opposite Bodden and knock Butler into the slot? Or do you expect Butler to maintain his preseason position across from Bodden with McCourty starting in the slot? What's the general consensus here?

Nice revisionist history changing that you expected he might take over from Wilhite by the end of the season and argued it was incorrect to expect he would start the season at least as the nickel to "I never took a stance"