Brady6
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2013
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This preseason Logan Ryan and Duron Harmon were much lower on the depth chart than I think most of us envisioned. I am hopeful that this was just a misconception due to Belichick and his staff trying to evaluate other players and it was not an indication of what to expect from these players in 2014.
Logan Ryan showed a lot of promise as a rookie, leading the team in interceptions and seeing quality snaps down the stretch at all 3 CB positions. Duron Harmon was solid in his rookie season, acting as the teams #3 safety he started a few games and performed well in all of them. What gives, what is the reason they are playing deep into the second half of preseason games, and riding the pine with an UDFA like Butler starting at CB opposite Revis? I know that people are enamored with Butler, but I would expect that Ryan would be even better and considering how Ryan performed as a rookie if he improved upon that it would be hard for a first round rookie to play ahead of him never mind an UDFA. Harmon I would have expected to start, not Pat Chung or Tavon Wilson.
This is not the first time a Patriots defensive back has regressed; Tavon Wilson played nearly 50% of the snaps as a rookie and followed that up with 18 defensive snaps last season, many felt Dennard did not improve and even was slightly worse in his second season. We all know the struggles McCourty had his second season, and in years past players like Butler also took dramatic steps back.
What do you all think the problem is? Should Belichick consider making changes with the secondary coaches, are the expectations to low or too high in year 2? Thoughts?
Logan Ryan showed a lot of promise as a rookie, leading the team in interceptions and seeing quality snaps down the stretch at all 3 CB positions. Duron Harmon was solid in his rookie season, acting as the teams #3 safety he started a few games and performed well in all of them. What gives, what is the reason they are playing deep into the second half of preseason games, and riding the pine with an UDFA like Butler starting at CB opposite Revis? I know that people are enamored with Butler, but I would expect that Ryan would be even better and considering how Ryan performed as a rookie if he improved upon that it would be hard for a first round rookie to play ahead of him never mind an UDFA. Harmon I would have expected to start, not Pat Chung or Tavon Wilson.
This is not the first time a Patriots defensive back has regressed; Tavon Wilson played nearly 50% of the snaps as a rookie and followed that up with 18 defensive snaps last season, many felt Dennard did not improve and even was slightly worse in his second season. We all know the struggles McCourty had his second season, and in years past players like Butler also took dramatic steps back.
What do you all think the problem is? Should Belichick consider making changes with the secondary coaches, are the expectations to low or too high in year 2? Thoughts?