McCourty

[Zuma]

It does feel like we have a bunch of guys who are more of the slot CB mold (rather than an outside guy), but none of them have a proven track record like Jones does. Guys like Wade, Bryant, Mills and possibly Bledsoe are all probably best used in the slot if anywhere, but that doesn't mean they'll ultimately work out there. Mills is your best bet, but I wonder if the simpler solution would just be to play HIM at deep safety and keep Jones where he is.

Wade is the X factor here to me. They saw enough in him to trade for him in camp, had a tough go of it with Covid and injuries, but if he plays to his potential I could see him becoming a good slot CB. Long way to go for that to happen though.

Wade has the potential to be a very good slot CB…but he hasn’t done anything yet.

 

[*ChungFu*]

I thought mills was the designated replacement for mccourty.

That is Mills' best position.

 

[mgteich]

That is Mills' best position.

and nickel is the best position for Jones

 

[Zuma]

and nickel is the best position for Jones

You feel he would not be successful playing FS ? I think he is a fantastic player and should be on the field for every defensive snap. While CB3 sometimes plays quite a bit in the Pats system...it's not the same amount as FS.

 

[mgteich]

You feel he would not be successful playing FS ? I think he is a fantastic player and should be on the field for every defensive snap. While CB3 sometimes plays quite a bit in the Pats system...it's not the same amount as FS.

It is NOT just a matter of which position Jones can play better.

It is also a matter of what would be lost at nickel Jones moves to safety.

BTW, do you think that our nickel back is no longer a starter?

I prefer Jones at nickel and Mills at free safety.

Others prefer Mills at nickel and Jones at free safety.

Perhaps, we'll see what the team thinks.
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Perhaps we will need both Mills and Jones to play corner.

 

[Sicilian]

It is NOT just a matter of which position Jones can play better.

It is also a matter of what would be lost at nickel Jones moves to safety.

BTW, do you think that our nickel back is no longer a starter?

I prefer Jones at nickel and Mills at free safety.

Others prefer Mills at nickel and Jones at free safety.

Perhaps, we'll see what the team thinks.
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Perhaps we will need both Mills and Jones to play corner.

Occam's Razor would tell us Mills at FS and Jones at Nickel CB makes the most sense, because we've actually seen both players play those positions. Granted, Mills only played a little there with Philly, but that's still more than Jones has. I think Jones is the kind of player that COULD make the switch, but like you said, then you're just shifting the question of "Who plays FS?" to "Who plays the slot?"

Ideally I think McCourty stays, Jones comes back healthy, Jackson is re-signed (or replaced with someone in the ballpark), we add another veteran outside corner (or grab one of the really good ones in the draft), and then Mills can stay as the kind of "roaming" DB where they can utilize his versatility wherever it's needed. But that's a lot of moving parts that have to happen first.