Some Comments on the Comments:
1. As other regulars at TC can attest, Butler was a guy who showed up right from the start. He was the guy who sent more spectators to their programs to find out who "that" guy was, than any other "camp body".
2. As someone has already said, "he was always around the ball". Even when the man he's covering catches the ball, he's tightly contesting the catch.
3. Before the great CB exodus, my thought was that he'd end up being the slot CB this year.
4. As it stands today, I'm fairly OK with our CB group. Butler, Ryan, Dennard, and Arrington is a lot better CB foursome than most Pats secondary of the last decade, especially if you consider the strong and flexible S group.
5. But as it stands today, the Pats' secondary is missing a skill set that would change it from being decent into being very good. And this skill set is adding some bigger stronger bodied physical CB than what is currently on the roster. Over the course of the season the Pats will play several 6'3+ WR's. Right now I don't see a good match up against them. It's not like they will run roughshod over us, but I don't see anyone shutting them down either.
6. Here's the problem with that, right off the top, there aren't any CB's left in FA or in the draft that are likely to fill that role right now. But all is not lost. Having that big bodied CB isn't the ONLY way to defend larger receiving targets. This is where total defense concepts are important. Using larger faster guys, ie Collins, in conjunction with hard rushes designed to make the QB make quick decisions, and over the top defenders to protect those larger defenders is just one way to make up for what we've lost.
7. Bottom line, there are not going to be any quick or easy answers. There is no one out there that we can get that will make it all better. No Revis, No Talib, etc.
This is going to take a leap of faith on our part that the projected improvements that we can make on the DL and LB group will in some way make up for the lack of this particular skill set We have to remember this is going to be a TEAM, and no team is flaw free. It's how well that they compensate for those flaws will determine how well they do.
Remember going into last season we all wondered how we will cover up the flaws we had at WR. Flaws we had on the OL. Flaws we perceived at LB, etc Over the course of the season, we saw how we compensated and it led to a superbowl.
We have no reason to believe that the OL won't be better this year. That with another season of working together the receiver group won't be better, or that the front 7 group won't be better with the additions of Easley, Mayo, and Sheard, plus the continuing development Collins, Siliga, and Hightower, etc
The secondary has taken a hit at CB, but its not like those who are there suck. It's just that they aren't as good as Revis, and none have the skill set that Browner had. BB has 5 months to figure out how he can integrate the REST of the defense into a group that will ultimately be able to be a top 10 scoring D.
