Peter King: McCourty the "new great defensive back"

[ausbacker]

I think they'd have been pretty stoked to have mankins locked up for the next 6 years. Brady and Wilfork would come at a much lower price had their contracts been extended earlier. Branch 2006, Samuel...

McCourty will be franchised after his rookie contract runs out, if the rule still exists in its current form, and then he'll make bank elsewhere.

It's obvious that you don't follow the front office moves of the Patriots to closely now. If the Pats want McCourty and he's price effective not looking for a stupid deal like Revis or Nnamdi then he'll be here.

 

[eagle eye]

Obviously, BB knew something and we were all shocked he went CB in the first.

What's amazing is, he knew his draft position and had the confidence to set up that whole draft with the extra picks he gained with two trade downs.

That is brass balls.

He sure has unreal patience in the draft. Great post.

 

[mloyko]

What Tony Sparano said after the game was really intriguing. He said that where he has seen the most improvement this year with the Pats, while watching tape on them is the cornerbacks. He said they have really improved and are two of the best in the league. While McCourty gets all the attention and accolades I think we really have found something in Kyle Arrington as well.. when Bodden comes back next year we will have the best cornerback collection in the league.

 

[SteveBsFan]

That's the point I was hoping someone would make. The Patriots keep players here that they really want. Brady and Wilfork are two recent examples of this.

Football is a business. Like all good business plans you have to rationalize the costs and seek out/apply value to your assets. The Patriots are the shrewdest in the business and this is why the franchise under the Kraft-Belichick regime has become the model for success.

With the Pats, they are always thinking several steps ahead. It may not work out but I'll wager when they truly want something to happen, the trigger gets pulled and it happens.

I do agree with this. I'm not bashing the model, I like how they do it. It's just that some people price themselves too high for the team, and usually regret it after.

What you said is why the Pats are the model franchise in the league and why they're able to not only maintain success, but do it during rebuilding periods.

McCourty may also eventually price himself out of town, but I'll still have faith in BB when that happens.

 

[deroc5050]

Love McCourty and I cant wait to see how he will play next year with Bodden back. Don't get me wrong Arrington has been a suprise this year and Butler is coming along but IMO were one more top corner away along with a healthy D-line and a pass rusher from being a top 5 defense next season.

If they can get 1 ty warren like player on the D Line and 1 dominant OLB.. they would have a top 5 defense next year. Provided the 1st and 2nd year players continue to progress and get better... they have a lot of pieces.

 

[PittPatriot]

Wow @ Ed Reed missing 8 games this season yet still leading the NFL in INTs.

I think Reed only missed 6 games this year...but I'd love for him to miss the next 2 games to realize your statement!

 

[D-cleater]

It's obvious that you don't follow the front office moves of the Patriots to closely now. If the Pats want McCourty and he's price effective not looking for a stupid deal like Revis or Nnamdi then he'll be here.

You're right, I probably don't follow them as much as you do. Whats obvious to me is that you follow the front office through a pair of special-issue, rose colored homer-vision goggles, which prevent you from seeing that they "do" want Mankins, but they f'd up by waiting until he was in a contract year to negotiate with him. The same year that they had Brady and Wilfork to deal with, you know, their two marquee players who they have *no choice* but to sign, at pretty much whatever they demanded.

 

[PittPatriot]

Samuel isn't a premier corner. He's a ballhawk, but he can only play one side of the field, and he sucks at tackling. He gambles too much gets a lot of penalties, and clearly isn't worth what the Eagles are paying him... which is why they had him on the trading block this past offseason. McCourty is a much more complete and mature corner than Asante will ever be.

That would depend on what you want your corners to do. If one wants a great ballhawk, and doesn't care about anything else, I suppose one could consider Asante one of the very best corners. If one values a corner that "does their job", is versatile, tackles well and puts the team first, then Asante wouldn't crack the top 15.

Asante led the NFL with picks for most of the season and finished 2nd to Ed Reed (because he is not second to anyone).

Asante is also about 2 seasons away from being Top 20 NFL ALL TIME in interceptions. If he is not the complete corner you seek, then at least call him a ball hawk to the highest degree.
I recently heard that an interception swings the chance a team wins a game by 20% - that makes Asante a game changer like very few that have played his position.
I expect McCourty will end up as good if not better in this regard.

 

[Joker]

You're right, I probably don't follow them as much as you do. Whats obvious to me is that you follow the front office through a pair of special-issue, rose colored homer-vision goggles, which prevent you from seeing that they "do" want Mankins, but they f'd up by waiting until he was in a contract year to negotiate with him. The same year that they had Brady and Wilfork to deal with, you know, their two marquee players who they have *no choice* but to sign, at pretty much whatever they demanded.

The Patriots just finished 14-2 and have a bye in the playoffs and in every thread all you want to do is rip and tear at every decision they've made the past two years...are you a nutcase or what?

 

[ausbacker]

You're right, I probably don't follow them as much as you do. Whats obvious to me is that you follow the front office through a pair of special-issue, rose colored homer-vision goggles, which prevent you from seeing that they "do" want Mankins, but they f'd up by waiting until he was in a contract year to negotiate with him. The same year that they had Brady and Wilfork to deal with, you know, their two marquee players who they have *no choice* but to sign, at pretty much whatever they demanded.

Out of curiosity how many games did the Patriots win between 2000-2009, how many playoff victories did the side have, how many AFC East Championships did they win, how many AFC Championships did they win and how many Superbowl Championships did they win?

If you could, I'd also like a reminder of the position the Patriots finished the 2010 regular season in and what our draft status moving forward is. Thanks in advance.

I guess it was to much of a stretch to assume you know the difference between a player pricing himself out and the Patriots agreeing to reasonable terms with someone then.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

Asante led the NFL with picks for most of the season and finished 2nd to Ed Reed (because he is not second to anyone).

Asante is also about 2 seasons away from being Top 20 NFL ALL TIME in interceptions. If he is not the complete corner you seek, then at least call him a ball hawk to the highest degree.
I recently heard that an interception swings the chance a team wins a game by 20% - that makes Asante a game changer like very few that have played his position.
I expect McCourty will end up as good if not better in this regard.

In my quotes you may notice that I did call Asante a great ballhawk. And you are right, Asante is a gamer changer, but the changes he makes go both ways. Sure, he'll grab 7-10 ints each year, but he'll also miss several key tackles, get burned gambling several times and draw lots of flags. He also can't play bump and run, and can only play on one side of the field. Sure ballhawks are nice, but there is plenty of baggage packaged with this ballhawk.

 

[doesntmatter1]

In my quotes you may notice that I did call Asante a great ballhawk. And you are right, Asante is a gamer changer, but the changes he makes go both ways. Sure, he'll grab 7-10 ints each year, but he'll also miss several key tackles, get burned gambling several times and draw lots of flags. He also can't play bump and run, and can only play on one side of the field. Sure ballhawks are nice, but there is plenty of baggage packaged with this ballhawk.

This quote shows how good belichick is at hiding players weaknesses and showcasing their strengths. I have watched a few eagles games and saw asante's freelancing cause a few problems. We used him much better than the eagles and can anyone really recall anytime asante hurting us(besides tyree catch). And he's missed more tackles in phi than he has here. Overall, i loved asante's play here and i cant think of anyone that played off man coverage better than him but i always preferred physical corners more like my favorite pat Ty Law and thats why i would pick mccourty any day over samuel.

I feel, though risky, you will eventually get your shot against samuel, but challenging mccourty, especially deep, is just a waste of time for opposing offenses. Mccourty's run support is also amazing. Call me a homer if you want, but if mccourty can sustain this level of play for a few seasons I will see him as the #1 corner in the league. I'll be happy if mccourty can play like this next season and if he somehow improves(is that possible) his madden numbers wouldn't even be 99 they would be an infinity sign(i cant believe i threw madden in this).

Lastly, what other top corner backs play special teams.

 

[Triumph]

Really? When have the Belichick Patriots EVER let a major impact player walk after his rookie contract? Didn't they extend Seymour and Warren and Wilfork and Brady, and franchise Samuel?

(Branch is a whole different story, he held out while still under contract; Mankins is still here, and his whole situation was about the CBA/RFA status.)

Branch was still playing on his rookie contract. If Mcourty held out during his rookie contract how would that be different? If Mcourty keeps playing at this pace NE will have no choice but to tear up his rookie deal and pay Mcourty top CB money.

Mankins is here because he wants an accrued season so he can walk.

 

[seven]

Rant on:
1:17 remaining in XLI, Eli's errant pass bounces off of Samuel's hands.

Some may interpret this as petty vindictiveness,
the dark side of a fanatic,
but this millisecond of our life, this single, definitive moment,
when combined with Assante's persistent emo-child,
punk pathos, ended my concern for his future.

Catch that ball, then somehow trot on your one good leg,
into the end zone, fist pumped in defiant victory.

Then, maybe we begin to say your name and Ty Law's
in the same sentence.

Rant off.