Is McCourty going to be a full time Safety in 2012?

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Sporting News reports that there is a strong indication from Patriots sources that say McCourty is a strong candidate to stay at Safety in 2012

With some good looking Corners in the draft,McCourty could be playing next to Chung for the immediate future.

Is this a good move? or should he regain his CB position that was a failure in 2011?

Personally I think McCourty looked good at Safety in 2011 and should stay there unless the team doesn't see a Cornerback capable of making a splash in his rookie campaign.

I really like Sterling Moore and Arrington at corner and a rookie in the mix ...some say Moore was sporadic but as a rookie,I saw more good than bad plays from him.

 

[Sicilian]

Given Arrington's progression last year and the potential of Moore and Dowling, that might be the best use of McCourty honestly. Especially since we're still quite thin there going into the draft, and S seems to have a steep learning curve for Pats rookies (it took both Chung and Meriweather the better part of a full season before they saw significant snaps).

 

[Big-T]

If someone like Janoris Jenkins fell to the 2nd round then I'd be all for McCourty playing safety.

Having Jenkins & Dowling on the outside and Arrington playing nickel would make a weakness from last season look on paper to be a strength in 2012.

 

[jsull87]

yeah i have been saying for a while i like Devin at FS. There were a couple of BB breakdowns at patriots.com which really showed that devin can diagnose a play and has great closing speed. BB went on about what a good play it was, it was a draw play vs the broncos.

I also think that out of the draft prospects and our roster he is the best FS candidate. Couple that with the value of someone like Jenkins in late 1st early 2nd and it could be the winning combo

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

After his play in 2010 I wouldn't be ready to move him from CB full time just yet. It's good to see that he can fill in at FS if needed there too though. Hopefully with a good draft or if one of our FA pickups fix the FS position we won't need it. With Arrington, Moore, and hopefully Dowling I think we'd still be okay enough at CB to move him over...but man if someone steps up at FS and he could play like a shutdown CB again that'd be the best for the team IMO.

 

[Sciz]

I'm going to need to see a link. When I think of Sporting News, I think of Russ Lande, and I think he's an idiot. If it's someone else, then I'll consider it :lol2:

Edit:
I think I found it: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-04-23/new-england-patriots-2012-nfl-draft-picks-preview
If that's it, then it's totally legit. SMY is trustworthy.

I'd be very happy with McCourty playing at safety. There's not a true FS prospect worth taking in the first 3 rounds of the draft, and as much as people want to say the Pats don't have a FS and a SS, they need a boost of athleticism back there. I can name more CBs that will be available at 27 that I'd trust starting from week 1 than free safeties that I think will ever be above average.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Still to early to give up hope at CB..wait until first 6 games..then we will see

 

[Ring 6]

I think the chance is exactly 0.
The difference between McCourty 10 and McCourty 11 was less than a dozen plays that he played excellently in 10 and awfully in 11, on deep routes or double moves. You don't move a probowl caliber to corner because he struggles one season with one technique/aspect of his game.
That is my opinion at least.

 

[hovis]

I think the chance is exactly 0.
The difference between McCourty 10 and McCourty 11 was less than a dozen plays that he played excellently in 10 and awfully in 11, on deep routes or double moves. You don't move a probowl caliber to corner because he struggles one season with one technique/aspect of his game.
That is my opinion at least.

I think it's a bit higher than zero, and not necessarily due to his struggles. Safety might just be a better fit for him and the team, given his skillset. He performs better with the play in front of him; and he's been said to have great onfield awareness.

 

[supafly]

Sporting News reports that there is a strong indication from Patriots sources that say McCourty is a strong candidate to stay at Safety in 2012

With some good looking Corners in the draft,McCourty could be playing next to Chung for the immediate future.

Is this a good move? or should he regain his CB position that was a failure in 2011?

Personally I think McCourty looked good at Safety in 2011 and should stay there unless the team doesn't see a Cornerback capable of making a splash in his rookie campaign.

I really like Sterling Moore and Arrington at corner and a rookie in the mix ...some say Moore was sporadic but as a rookie,I saw more good than bad plays from him.

I think that Belichick has had a plan the whole time, and that DMcC playing safety may be the plan. Otherwise it would seem that he'd have targeted the safety position a bit more aggressively in FA--at least in my opinion anyway.

However, it's also possible that he plays CB and continues to move to safety in subs too. I still expect a safety (or CB) to be drafted in the middle rounds, but I also expect him to be blended in throughout the year in role/situational reps like Meriweather was. This could allow the team to get a feel for how Gregory, Barrett, or the rookie handles himself in base situations, while still putting them in the best situation on likely passing downs.

The best part about the debate + Belichick's moves and players is that anything is pretty much possible, and can change from time to time based on strengths and needs.

The versatility is there to make moves depending upon how a player is doing at both CB and safety. I still expect a higher round secondary pick though to add to the depth and provide us another option.

 

[Ring 6]

I think it's a bit higher than zero, and not necessarily due to his struggles. Safety might just be a better fit for him and the team, given his skillset. He performs better with the play in front of him; and he's been said to have great onfield awareness.

"He plays better with the play in front of him" is a Patsfans.com creatiion that people believe because they read it here.
Most of his Ints in 2010 were playing trail technique on a deep ball, baiting the QB to throw, and he had many other break ups on the same type play. That was EXCELLENT play with the play behind him, probably as good as any corner has played that ball in the NFL in a few years.
In 2011 he struggled with the exact same route/play/technique that made him a probowler in 2010. The rest of his game was remarkably similar.
My guess is there was an injury going on, or he had a poor offseason.
Being a corner that baits the deep ball and closes on the reciever, and being one that gets beaten deep is a fine line. 2010 proved it is one of his best skills, in 2011, something went awry. After more than 35 years as an NFL fan, I have a lot confiidence that is it much more likely the struggle was a blip than the obvious existence of the skill was smoke and mirrors.

 

[Mystery Pats Fan]

"He plays better with the play in front of him" is a Patsfans.com creatiion that people believe because they read it here.

That's not accurate. Many players on defense play better when they can see the play in front of them rather than having to look back over their shoulders at the same time as trying to see where his cover is and trying to run and cover him at the same time without knowing what is going on at the line of scrimmage and what the quarterback is doing with the ball. That is common sense.

A good proof of this is Arrington who totally sucked in one on one coverage as an outside corner and then only partially sucked when moved inside to the nickel where he could see the plays developing in front of him.

I do not think it is a fans creation at all. In fact, it is common sense that seeing what is happening in front of you is much better than guessing what is happening behind you.

 

[Ring 6]

That's not accurate. Many players on defense play better when they can see the play in front of them rather than having to look back over their shoulders at the same time as trying to see where his cover is and trying to run and cover him at the same time without knowing what is going on at the line of scrimmage and what the quarterback is doing with the ball. That is common sense.

A good proof of this is Arrington who totally sucked in one on one coverage as an outside corner and then only partially sucked when moved inside to the nickel where he could see the plays developing in front of him.

I do not think it is a fans creation at all. In fact, it is common sense that seeing what is happening in front of you is much better than guessing what is happening behind you.

I am talking about putting that label on McCourty.
Nice job though finding another spot to throw in your obligatory attack on Arrington.
And by the way, nickel corners often play man and dont 'watch the play develop in front of them'.

 

[supafly]

I partially agree with Andy, in the sense that the whole 'seeing the field in front of him' aspect has really taken off, and is probably overblown on some level. That said, I also think there's some partial truth to it, at least on some level. We've seen many patsfans.com misconceptions that didn't have any kind of bearing to the situation whatsoever, and although this one isn't nearly as wrong, it's still somewhat of a misconception.

In all fairness, I think the misconception that he speaks of initally got started from comments that McCourty himself made during interviews, which happened just about every week from the end of Dec--beginning of Feb.

It lies in the misusing/meshing around of his words, and although it is quite common (like a game of 'telephone' when younger), it doesn't necessarily make the misconception right either. On any level. But at least we know where/how it got started.

These were McCourty's comments, which in all fairness are at least in the ballpark of the generalization that 'he plays the ball better in front of him.' :

"”It’s something different, techniques and where you line up are probably the biggest thing” McCourty said. ”Corner you see the field from a different angle." (comments courtesy of Devin McCourty)

There were also references to 'seeing the field more in front of him' made my the media too, as it was reported in articles and Reiss' mailbag at one point. Between the media and McCourty's various interviews, some of the wording was moved around as it pertained to his seeing the ball better as the plays developed in front of him.

Here is an online article from boston.com, that touches on the subject in some regard anyway:

"In recent weeks, a new wrinkle was added: McCourty was asked to play safety, mostly in nickel situations. McCourty’s first interception of the season, in Week 16 against Miami, came when he was at safety, and he’s able to see more of the field when he drops back." (courtesy of boston.com)

 

[Ring 6]

I partially agree with Andy, in the sense that the whole 'seeing the field in front of him' aspect has really taken off, and is probably overblown on some level. That said, I also think there's some partial truth to it, at least on some level. We've seen many patsfans.com misconceptions that didn't have any kind of bearing to the situation whatsoever, and although this one isn't nearly as wrong, it's still somewhat of a misconception.

In all fairness, I think the misconception that he speaks of initally got started from comments that McCourty himself made during interviews, which happened just about every week from the end of Dec--beginning of Feb.

It lies in the misusing/meshing around of his words, and although it is quite common (like a game of 'telephone' when younger), it doesn't necessarily make the misconception right either. On any level. But at least we know where/how it got started.

These were McCourty's comments, which in all fairness are at least in the ballpark of the generalization that 'he plays the ball better in front of him.' :

"”It’s something different, techniques and where you line up are probably the biggest thing” McCourty said. ”Corner you see the field from a different angle." (comments courtesy of Devin McCourty)

There were also references to 'seeing the field more in front of him' made my the media too, as it was reported in articles and Reiss' mailbag at one point. Between the media and McCourty's various interviews, some of the wording was moved around as it pertained to his seeing the ball better as the plays developed in front of him.

Here is an online article from boston.com, that touches on the subject in some regard anyway:

"In recent weeks, a new wrinkle was added: McCourty was asked to play safety, mostly in nickel situations. McCourty’s first interception of the season, in Week 16 against Miami, came when he was at safety, and he’s able to see more of the field when he drops back." (courtesy of boston.com)

There is no dispute that you see different things from different positions as welll as different coverages. Cover 3 and man are totally different vantage points of a play.
My point was that McCourty made almost every one of his Ints in 2010 playing trail technique on a receiver and often baited the throw and closed on it.
In 2011, he did the same thing, but for whatever reason was a step or step and half behind and couldn't close.
People (incorrectly IMO) attributed it to him not being able to turn and make a play on the ball, when it was one of his best strengths in 2010.
The issue wasn't how he reacted to a ball in the air, it was how he closed on the reciever. It was as I said one of his best strengths in 2010, and one of his biggest weaknesses in 2011. Some blame it on lack of safety play or confidence in his safety. Some think it was injury, some apparently think he lost the skill overnight.
If you really analyze McCourty's play in 2010 and 2011, that particular technique is really the only dramatic difference.
Figuring out why is the key to McCourty returning to the top 5 corner he was in 2010. Everything else is there.

 

[supafly]

There is no dispute that you see different things from different positions as welll as different coverages. Cover 3 and man are totally different vantage points of a play.
My point was that McCourty made almost every one of his Ints in 2010 playing trail technique on a receiver and often baited the throw and closed on it.
In 2011, he did the same thing, but for whatever reason was a step or step and half behind and couldn't close.
People (incorrectly IMO) attributed it to him not being able to turn and make a play on the ball, when it was one of his best strengths in 2010.
The issue wasn't how he reacted to a ball in the air, it was how he closed on the reciever. It was as I said one of his best strengths in 2010, and one of his biggest weaknesses in 2011. Some blame it on lack of safety play or confidence in his safety. Some think it was injury, some apparently think he lost the skill overnight.
If you really analyze McCourty's play in 2010 and 2011, that particular technique is really the only dramatic difference.
Figuring out why is the key to McCourty returning to the top 5 corner he was in 2010. Everything else is there.

I also saw some references to the possibility that Belichick may have wanted him to see what a safety sees, know how a safety plays certain situations, and that this could potentially help him to understand where the safeties responsibilities may lie.

Obviously the thinking was that it may help him to approach his CB game in a different light, now knowing that the safety should/may be in various positions to make the play.

All speculation of course, but the subject matter of DMcC himself playing CB or S creates a lot of that lately.

It will all come out in the wash soon enough, so I expect some answers...although no time soon.

I do think that this season, barring too many injuries of course, could provide a better situation of depth and possible moves/changes if a certain player is not living up to the billing at one of the secondary positions. I don't think we had that last yr until the end maybe, so that aspect alone should help. One more solid player in the back end could really make a positive impact.

 

[Mystery Pats Fan]

And by the way, nickel corners often play man and dont 'watch the play develop in front of them'.

That is true, but not on every play, and they are not required, for the most part, to turn away from the quarterback while the outside corner usually are lined up with the faster receivers and for the most part, must turn away in order to keep up with them as they streak downfield on longer sideline fly pattterns or mid range or deep inside slants, as well as an occasional deep post, and must rely on assistance from a safety.

Sorry for the obligatory attack on Arrington, but he really is the weak link on the defense. Hopefully he will be gone by September. It does appear as if Belichick is aware of the problem and is bringing in several DB's for look sees It will, also, be interesting to see if, and when, he drafts one, or more.

If Arrington hadn't changed his jersey from 27 to 24, people would have thought that they brought Hobbs back. Maybe thats why Arrington wanted the change.

 

[jsull87]

"He plays better with the play in front of him" is a Patsfans.com creatiion that people believe because they read it here.
Most of his Ints in 2010 were playing trail technique on a deep ball, baiting the QB to throw, and he had many other break ups on the same type play. That was EXCELLENT play with the play behind him, probably as good as any corner has played that ball in the NFL in a few years.
In 2011 he struggled with the exact same route/play/technique that made him a probowler in 2010. The rest of his game was remarkably similar.
My guess is there was an injury going on, or he had a poor offseason.
Being a corner that baits the deep ball and closes on the reciever, and being one that gets beaten deep is a fine line. 2010 proved it is one of his best skills, in 2011, something went awry. After more than 35 years as an NFL fan, I have a lot confiidence that is it much more likely the struggle was a blip than the obvious existence of the skill was smoke and mirrors.

Not to get into any long winded argument Andy but the "he plays better with the play in front of him" comments are well founded. BB said himself on patriots.com in the BB breakdowns the they moved Devin to FS to (and i am paraphrasing here) give him more confidence, keep the play in front of him and make him more comfortable.

I still believe he is a great player at both positions but those comments at least their meaning was right from BB's mouth to our ears.

and before anyone asks no i am not going to go and post a link it's just a comment i remembered when i was having a look at the breakdown if i have slightly got it wrong then i am sorry but i am 90% sure those were his words.

 

[Batman]

If BB thinks there is more value having DMc as a corner he'll be a corner, if he see more value in him being a Safety he will play safety. It's not worth trying to second guess BB.

Personally I think DMc is a better prospect at CB his hip fluidity suits being able to turn and run from the corner spot it's more of a wasted skill at safety. In 2010 he did very well in the trail and not so well in 2011 not sure what changed it for him. I'm not sure what caused this could have been a number of things. A change in scheme meaning he was turning earlier or later and never got it quite right, lack of safety help, not practicing vs a true deep theeat guy, confidence, short off season or maybe a little bit of them all. He does play zone a lot better than man though. Whatever it is I hope they can help him regain his form for 2012

 

[Fencer]

I think we could see the reverse of late last year.

Our 4 best DBs are likely going to be Chung, McCourty, Dowling, and Arrington, so it would be nice to play those 4 in the base package.

On the other hand, McCourty is likely to be one of the 3 best guys to man up with a WR, so in sub packages he may be a CB.