Patriots 2015 End of Regular Season Report Card – Defense
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Cornerbacks: B
The sky was falling this spring when the Patriots jettisoned all three starting corners from the Super Bowl winning team in Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington. But things had a way of working out and it turned out, they weren’t in such dire straits after all.
 Malcolm Butler parlayed his SB performance into a Pro Bowl one in 2015. (SBalestrieri/PatsFans Image) |
Malcolm Butler proved he wasn’t a flash in the pan and had a Pro Bowl season. The coaches showed from Day 1 in the spring that he had their confidence and it has never wavered. The team frequently put him out on an island with no help against some of the best WRs in the NFL and while it wasn’t perfect, it was plenty good enough. Butler is essentially in his first real season and has played outstanding. He’s played with a short memory, been physical and has very good technique. His closing speed while the ball is in the air is outstanding.
Logan Ryan after a lackluster sophomore campaign, really turned things around and had a very solid 2015. He’s currently ranked as the 11th best CB in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He and Butler were the biggest question marks heading into this season. Now they are positions of strength.
The third cornerback position has been a question mark as well. Bradley Fletcher was signed in the off-season and was jettisoned. The team signed UDFA Darryl Roberts who had an impressive summer and actually started in the first PS game against Green Bay but was injured and reverted to IR. Veteran Tarell Brown had injury issues all season but he too ended up on IR.
The team picked up Justin Coleman and Leonard Johnson and each has had their moments both good and not so good. But if there is an area that opposing QBs will attempt to target in the post season, it will be the third corner.
Safeties: A-
Safety is perhaps the biggest strength of this team, the Patriots are very deep at safety and it has really helped with the big turnover at cornerback. Devin McCourty was rewarded with a big contract extension this spring and it has paid off for the team. He’s one of the better centerfielders in the league and has been outstanding in communication. He’s the QB of the secondary.
Pat Chung has thrived in his second stint with the Patriots; playing closer to the box where he’s at his best, Chung has been excellent at run support, coming up on short passes in the flat and covering the short-to-intermediate stuff with the tight ends. Duron Harmon comes in on many sub-package situations and can play centerfield.
Rookie 2nd round draft pick Jordan Richards has looked good in small sample sizes while the team still has STs Nate Ebner and Tavon Wilson as depth. Next up are the Special Teams and Coaching
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