How good can the defense be if Butler emerges?

[patsinthesnow]

At the request of @Brady6 for some football talk (I agree):


http://es.pn/1Tgmci5

Reiss notes:

1. Through nine practices at Patriots training camp, I’ve been struck by one thing specific to the team’s cornerback position. While there has been a regular rotation at right cornerback on a daily basis with Logan Ryan, Tarell Brown, Bradley Fletcher and rookie Darryl Roberts, there has been almost none of that on the left side. That’s where Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler has taken most of the top reps, and it’s a tell-tale sign to me that he’s currently viewed as the top choice to assume the position held by Darrelle Revis in 2014. Butler only played 16.6 percent of the defensive snaps in the 2014 regular season, but the coaching staff obviously feels he’s ready for more. At this point in practice, he’s looked up to the task.

After attending a few TC sessions, it is clear that Butler will enter the season as our #1 CB. While the #2 spot has been musical chairs, Butler has been the only CB on the first team every day covering Edelman (impressively too).

What if Butler does play as a legitimate #1 CB? Not Revis or Sherman, but maybe fellow undrafted gems like Harris Jr. or Grimes. That would give us a front seven with:

Siliga, Jones, Ninkovich, Hightower, Collins, Mayo, Sheard (not counting the kids)

with a secondary of McCourty, Butler, and a trio of decent safeties rotating at the #2 spot. The only real weak spot would be #2 corner.

Am I crazy to think that if Butler continues to shock people in the regular season that this could be a great, almost elite defense? Or homer alert?

 

[reneluar]

Maybe im crazy, but i think they could win a superbowl with an interception in the last play.

 

[Marqui]

To have an elite defense, I think Roberts would have to emerge fast too and be the #2. I don't believe you can have a great defense these days with just one good CB.

 

[aluminum seats]

To have an elite defense, I think Roberts would have to emerge fast too and be the #2. I don't believe you can have a great defense these days with just one good CB.

Well, you definitely don’t want a disaster at the other side, but if Butler becomes good enough where the other CB can get some help, then yeah, I think the defense can be elite. You just want competence at the other spot, I think.

 

[TommyD4207]

To have an elite defense, I think Roberts would have to emerge fast too and be the #2. I don't believe you can have a great defense these days with just one good CB.

Let's be honest, that wasn't exactly a "shutdown" defense last year.

8th in points, 13th in yards, middle of the pack against the pass.

They were good. Not great. The front 7 this year has a chance to be "great". It very well might all average out the same, who knows?

Your point's correct, but if Revis isn't one of the corners, I don't know how much better the defense can be over last year.

But, last year was good enough.

 

[RayClay]

It depends on Tarrel Brown and fletcher. brown has looked very good. If fletcher's decent, mclain can play the slot and ryan can play to his strengths, ball hawk and tackling, we could have a pretty strong group.

Alot of ifs, but much better if Brown plays like he has.

 

[Ross12]

I think Brown and Roberts have really looked as good as you could want them to look so far. Brown is still recovering from an injury a bit and he's very new to the team, and Roberts has needed a lot of polish to get to the NFL level, yet both are already making plays in practice with seeming regularity. With another month until the regular season, they may just become what we want them to be.

 

[Love The Drake]

Would like to see Swanson or Jean emerge.
What are Brandon Kings chances he seems to make a good amount of plays and has prototypical size.
Appearantly Harmon and Wilson have also looked good doesn't bode well for Ebner.
Since both can play defense and special teams.

 

[Schmo]

On paper, it's hard to conclude that the additions/subtractions will result in a better defense than last year. What we do have going for us:

1.Healthy Mayo. I've always considered him the second best MLB during his tenure in the league to Patrick Willis. I don't see this changing Hightower's role too much, but it will definitely free up Collins to go after the QB more. Which brings up the pass rush...
2. Brown/Sheard and a healthy Easley/Jones. A fierce pass rush is starting to look much more likely. Wilfork, for his size, was incredibly agile and obviously drew/destroyed constant double teams. But let's be honest, although he was more than capable of a pass rush, he wasn't the greatest at pursuit and bringing down the qb. If Brown can take double teams, as well as blow past his man and get upfield against a single man -paired with a quick twitch Easley our line can cause havoc. Sheard looks like a beast who can get after the QB and hold the edge. I'm also very curious as to how his addition will impact Ninkovich. At least, I see a lot more versatility/schemes up front.
3. Emergence of Butler. It isn't realistic to think he will be as good as Revis, but he's looking very good so far and I think that he has more fire in him, if that's worth anything. Although, it was once hard to believe that a young super bowl hero could be better than his predecessor, and he ended up becoming the greatest QB of all time.
4. The interesting part of the CB situation will be replacing Browner. There aren't many players like him who do what he does (good and bad). We don't have a solution prepared, but remember, we didn't last year either. Browner had to work his way up the depth chart once he came back and BB didn't seem to try too hard to keep him this offseason. Again, another personnel move that will impact scheme. Roberts is an interesting possibility that would mean we go from the most physical corner in the league to a guy who plays in the mold of a Deion Sanders (not comparing ability, only type)... fast cover, but no tackle.

I'm not as confident in this defense as I was last year, but I like their chances of surprising me. Last year they went from the perennial "bend-but-don't-break" defense to being mean and pushing guys around. They will need to keep that mentality.

 

[FourierSeries]

To have an elite defense, I think Roberts would have to emerge fast too and be the #2. I don't believe you can have a great defense these days with just one good CB.

Luckily for us, you don't need a "great defense" in this era to win a SB.