McCourty Back to Corner?

I think it is possible that BB is considering moving McCourty back to corner. Harmon has looked OK in a reserve role and could be ready to step in for McCourty at S, as well as the possibility of moving Ryan there. Thoughts?

I certainly hope not. It would seem like too much movement in the secondary, we need some sort of consistency back there.

I like mccourty the safety much better then mccourty I last seen playing corner.

I hope not. I love McCourty but he had some serious problems outside the hashes and has turned into an All Pro caliber S. I can see using him there in certain package but not a full time return to the position.

I've had this same thought but believe it's an option if Butler, Dennard,Ryan and players to be named later prove incapable. They have all shown flashes but inconsistent.

Reiss floated the idea, but I really would be awfully reticent to do that. We know he is a $9 million a year safety, but we do not know if he is a $9 million a year corner. He has struggled at corner since his rookie year, whereas he has flourished at safety and really changed our defense when he moved there. I'm not even sure he'd be better corner than Dennard, Arrington, Ryan or Butler. We'd be hurting ourselves in two spots.

With so few good safeties in the league, it is hard to imagine BB squandering one.

BradyManny said:

Reiss floated the idea, but I really would be awfully reticent to do that. We know he is a $9 million a year safety, but we do not know if he is a $9 million a year corner. He has struggled at corner since his rookie year, whereas he has flourished at safety and really changed our defense when he moved there. I'm not even sure he'd be better corner than Dennard, Arrington, Ryan or Butler. We'd be hurting ourselves in two spots.

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My assessment of McCourty at corner is different than others.
Everyone agrees his rookie year was excellent. In his second year, there really was only one difference in his play. On the deep route his trail technique had him baiting the QB to throw, and he would break up or pick off the pass as a rookie. In year 2, he was a step behind on about 7-8 plays. Now allowing a deep ball every other game is not something to totally dismiss, but it was one issue that was the entire difference in his play, and one that could be explained and/or corrected. By year 3 he played just fine at corner before being needed part time at S, and then by year 4 he was totally needed at S.
Yes, he is our best S but he would also be our best corner, and the dropoff may be less at S.

Ummm, he was awful after his rookie year at CB, that is why he is an overpaid safety now.

Lord I hope not. Harmon-Chung does not inspire confidence, and I think I like Harmon more than most.

AndyJohnson said:

My assessment of McCourty at corner is different than others.
Everyone agrees his rookie year was excellent. In his second year, there really was only one difference in his play. On the deep route his trail technique had him baiting the QB to throw, and he would break up or pick off the pass as a rookie. In year 2, he was a step behind on about 7-8 plays. Now allowing a deep ball every other game is not something to totally dismiss, but it was one issue that was the entire difference in his play, and one that could be explained and/or corrected. By year 3 he played just fine at corner before being needed part time at S, and then by year 4 he was totally needed at S.
Yes, he is our best S but he would also be our best corner, and the dropoff may be less at S.

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It's a reasonable argument but I think the better solution would be game and sub package specific, if they feel they can pull that off without too much disruption. Use him outside against the bigger receivers like D. Thomas but keep him inside as over the top help when facing smaller quicker deep threats like Steve Smith. Whether or not they want to move pieces around that much would be the question?

FreeTedWilliams said:

Ummm, he was awful after his rookie year at CB, that is why he is an overpaid safety now.

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You just can't help yourself.

FreeTedWilliams said:

Ummm, he was awful after his rookie year at CB, that is why he is an overpaid safety now.

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Yes, those 17 pass defenses, 7 interceptions, 3 tackles for a loss, and 2 forced fumbles were atrocious.

AndyJohnson said:

My assessment of McCourty at corner is different than others.
Yes, he is our best S but he would also be our best corner, and the dropoff may be less at S.

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Assuming McCourty is as good at CB as you recall, if we stay in Cover 1 with Harmon, it's possible the dropoff at safety is less - in which case I see your logic. However, I am not as confident in McCourty's CB play as you. He was returning to form before we switched him largely out of necessity, but the sample size of that form is not nearly enough to inspire the confidence reflected in his large contract extension.

Here's a nice little refresher on McCourty's transition to safety:

http://www.nepatriotsdraft.com/2014...e-rise-of-patriots-safety-devin-mccourty.html

Again, people cite Talib or Revis as the reason our secondary improved - I think McCourty's play at safety was as much the reason.

I think ultimately it ends up on our scheme next year. I hope we don't end up playing more zone but if we don't have good man corners we may have to. McCourty is a fine CB in zone coverage, the only problem is you can't play zone that much in the modern day NFL anymore because QBs are a lot better at short passes than they used to be.

That said, McCourty actually played a little bit of man coverage last year. This usually happened on third downs and he would usually cover the TE.

I have contemplated the thought myself but it would need someone stepping up at FS. He wasn't just good at CB his rookie year, he was outstanding. I think in 2011 and 2012 the absense of a reliable S behind him may have had a major impact in him becoming an average corner. If Ryan or Harmon could be relied upon at S, DMC as a corner the level he was playing in 2010 is a steal for $9M/year and eliminates a need for #1 CB. In that scenario I'd be alot more comfortable with one of Dennard/Butler being able to step up as CB2.

The only thing I wonder about moving DMC to CB is how much weaker it makes the team at FS as I do think there is a sizable drop off from DMC to Harmon.

I'm not worthy of suggesting where and how Bill Belichick should best use the players on his roster...

I don't think it's plan A (or even plan B), but if they're unable to sign a starter in FA, no one good falls to them in the draft, and none of the young CB's on the team step up, McCourty to CB and Harmon to FS is an option for sure. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that though.

Brady6 said:

Yes, those 17 pass defenses, 7 interceptions, 3 tackles for a loss, and 2 forced fumbles were atrocious.

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I don't really agree with the guy, but he said after his rookie year, not during. McCourty sucked in 2011 at CB, but was alright in 2012.