How do you feel about the CB depth?

[Joey007]

Just thinking about this today.

Carlton Davis has never played more than 13 games in a season. Gonzalez and Jones both have injury history in the past two seasons as well.

This means there’s decent odds the depth behind them will get significant playing time at some point this year. Do we trust Alex Austin to that extent? Do we even know what we have in Bolden, Dial?

Just feels like an additional vet getting added to this group wouldn’t be the worst idea.

 

[PWRxWLF]

Im not confident in the CB group at all. As you said, the injury history is there. Austin & Co. are serviceable against another teams 2-3 but against a number 1 alpha dog? Its gonna take a team effort, starting with the front 7 to alleviate the deficiencies within that group. I hope I’m just being negative and Davis & Gonzo can buck the trend and be healthy all season. That would be amazing.

 

[Joey007]

Im not confident in the CB group at all. As you said, the injury history is there. Austin & Co. are serviceable against another teams 2-3 but against a number 1 alpha dog? Its gonna take a team effort, starting with the front 7 to alleviate the deficiencies within that group. I hope I’m just being negative and Davis & Gonzo can buck the trend and be healthy all season. That would be amazing.

I will say, didn’t Austin hold his own in playing time last year? I’m at least somewhat okay with him getting snaps. But we have no clue what Dial and Bolden are at this point.

 

[n1997y]

I’m okay with depth at CB if the team is.

Coaches know what we have even if we as fans haven’t seen enough to tell.

Austin and Dial have not played a lot, but haven’t floundered when they did. Bolden has played even less but he’s very athletic and has been around for a couple of years, albeit injured for one year. The new guy DJ James has flashed in camp.

There are much bigger concerns to worry about.

 

[Family]

I will say, didn’t Austin hold his own in playing time last year? I’m at least somewhat okay with him getting snaps. But we have no clue what Dial and Bolden are at this point.

The CB depth will be dependent on how much the young guys you mention develop as well is DJ James and others.

I think that's mostly the approach of the team this year.

Yes they could use another veteran, but at this stage I'd rather try to develop our own.

 

[n1997y]

The CB depth will be dependent on how much the young guys you mention develop as well is DJ James and others.

I think that's mostly the approach of the team this year.

Yes they could use another veteran, but at this stage I'd rather try to develop our own.

Disagree that they could use another veteran. For what, to warm the bench while taking money better spent elsewhere?

Our starters are solid. Only reason to want another vet is as backup. There are much bigger needs.

Very much agree it’s time to develop our own. We have four young CBs that have all been here for at least a year. Give them the chance to see the field.

 

[Family]

Disagree that they could use another veteran.

I'm not talking about necessarily a high priced player.

A player like Jason McCourty when he was here.

If this team was like the Patriots, ten years ago,, you would see a player or two like that in this group.

 

[Ring 6]

Just thinking about this today.

Carlton Davis has never played more than 13 games in a season. Gonzalez and Jones both have injury history in the past two seasons as well.

This means there’s decent odds the depth behind them will get significant playing time at some point this year. Do we trust Alex Austin to that extent? Do we even know what we have in Bolden, Dial?

Just feels like an additional vet getting added to this group wouldn’t be the worst idea.

I’ve been saying his for a while Austin is ok as cb4 but those after him are at best unproven. Vrabels defenses typically average over 3.5 corners per snap. Cb4, cb5, cb6 are important.

 

[Ring 6]

I’m okay with depth at CB if the team is.

Coaches know what we have even if we as fans haven’t seen enough to tell.

Austin and Dial have not played a lot, but haven’t floundered when they did. Bolden has played even less but he’s very athletic and has been around for a couple of years, albeit injured for one year. The new guy DJ James has flashed in camp.

There are much bigger concerns to worry about.

Dial has played 60 snaps of defense in the NFL, 55 were against a team trying to lose.
We are one injury away from Austin being a starter and whoever is next playing up to 30 snaps a game.

 

[Ring 6]

The CB depth will be dependent on how much the young guys you mention develop as well is DJ James and others.

I think that's mostly the approach of the team this year.

Yes they could use another veteran, but at this stage I'd rather try to develop our own.

I’d rather win than see if late round picks and UDFAs might shock the world and be decent.

 

[signbabybrady]

Yes they have injury history but I really like the top 3.

Dial and Austin are ok developmental guys and while I also like them it's obviously not the same as above and I might have been a little concerned but it looks like James is beating them out or at least in the mix which means the 2 we do keep will have earned it.

Plus the safety group is pretty deep.

 

[jmt57]

Just thinking about this today.

Carlton Davis has never played more than 13 games in a season. Gonzalez and Jones both have injury history in the past two seasons as well.

This means there’s decent odds the depth behind them will get significant playing time at some point this year. Do we trust Alex Austin to that extent? Do we even know what we have in Bolden, Dial?

Just feels like an additional vet getting added to this group wouldn’t be the worst idea.

Good point; we did see an immense regression last year with a defense that we were counting on after Barmore was lost for 2024.

Hopefully no déjà vu in that regard.

 

[mgteich]

We needed another CB last year. We replaced Jon Jones and we still need an additional CB.

 

[BobDigital]

Not many teams are happy with their starting 3 let alone their depth.

 

[PatsFan2]

Just thinking about this today.

Carlton Davis has never played more than 13 games in a season. Gonzalez and Jones both have injury history in the past two seasons as well.

This means there’s decent odds the depth behind them will get significant playing time at some point this year. Do we trust Alex Austin to that extent? Do we even know what we have in Bolden, Dial?

Just feels like an additional vet getting added to this group wouldn’t be the worst idea.

Him below is making some noise: would like to hear how in looks in the joint practice and preseason games.

DJ James - New England Patriots Cornerback - ESPN

View the profile of New England Patriots Cornerback DJ James on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

 

[signbabybrady]

Him below is making some noise: would like to hear how in looks in the joint practice and preseason games.

DJ James - New England Patriots Cornerback - ESPN

View the profile of New England Patriots Cornerback DJ James on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

When I go to practice I try to scout specific things/players. But a lot of times the simplest thing can be the easiest take away. It might sound dumb but the simplest way for me is just randomly seeing something and then having to reach for the roster to figure out who did it. If I do that enough times with same player then I generally move them up a notch or two in my minds depth chart.

This year that guy has been James.

 

[PatsFan2]

When I go to practice I try to scout specific things/players. But a lot of times the simplest thing can be the easiest take away. It might sound dumb but the simplest way for me is just randomly seeing something and then having to reach for the roster to figure out who did it. If I do that enough times with same player then I generally move them up a notch or two in my minds depth chart.

This year that guy has been James.

We have done historically well with Late round CB's hope James - Dial or Bolden continue the trend.

 

[BTTA]

Not many teams are happy with their starting 3 let alone their depth.

Plus, our injury rate/history isn't worse than other teams.
We can absorb an injury to one of the two starters if there aren't significant injuries to starters in other positions on the defense. And that's true about most of the defenses in the NFL. What Glenn did with the Lions when patching together a decent defense with several starters (and stars) injured was unusual and extraordinary.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

The depth isn't great and it's a big concern for me because this defense is built on a lot of position groups compensating for others. Extreme position group wide strengths and weaknesses.

Our interior DL is poor vs. run but great rushing. Tonga as a rotational piece doesn't fix that.

Our EDGE defenders are strong vs. the run, but weak pass rushers. Again, Chaisson as a specialist doesn't fix that.

Our LBs and Safeties are strong vs. the run but weak in coverage.

The ability to play strong coverage on the outside with the Gonzo/Davis duo is one of the few snap to snap, game to game strengths they're going to be able to rely on. It will open up a lot of schematic compensation for those weaknesses in the front that other teams have personnel to exploit weak to week. But one injury and that's gone and sets the defense up to struggle IMO.

Not adding more CB depth, considering the guys available and their unused cap space, is the most questionable part of their offseason for me.

 

[Joey007]

There’s a hit to the young group.