Bein able to move McCourty back to corner.
I think the McCourty at CB days are done. He can be great at both, but he's more consistent and better utilized at safety. He also has a higher upside there.
The team wanted him at safety last offseason according to Bedard, it couldn't materialize because we didn't have the corners. The team goes out and gets Talib, and Dennard steps up - this allows them to move McCourty to safety and suddenly the defense is stopping teams again. The biggest domino, IMO, of it all was McCourty at safety. His range, combined with solid play on the outside, allowed the Patriots to play more one-deep safety and use Gregory over the opposing team's TE or roam the middle of the field. We were a much aggressive D for it, and it paid off.
I don't want to see us lose that. Ed Reed may be the greatest free safety to ever live, but I'm perfectly content with McCourty's play at safety.
Regarding Adrian Wilson and potentially adding Reed - I'll let the Patriots sort this out. The thing about Wilson to factor in is he might not be kicking a DB off the depth chart in the nickel, he might be kicking off an LB. Belichick is 0-2 in getting that hybrid player, but Wilson is easily the best prospect we have of having an oversized safety play LB/S hybrid in the nickel. You want to talk about improving coverage in your sub? I'm pretty sure Wilson, no matter what people say about him losing a step, is a massive upgrade in coverage over Hightower or Spikes. If we can get one of those LBs off and get Wilson off, that pass defense is going to improve dramatically.
Now, that might not be what Belichick has in mind at all, and maybe it is just a Gregory-AWilson swap, but I'm throwing that out there. If we acquire another safety in the draft or free agency, I think it would lend credence to this line of thinking.
