This week we will analyze the Defensive Backs.\u00a0 The Defensive Backs are going to make or break the team this year.\u00a0 When the Patriots got toasted by the Bills and Dolphins at the end of the season, this is the group of cornerbacks they sent out to play.<\/p>\n
JC Jackson<\/p>\n
Joejuan Williams<\/p>\n
Myles Bryant<\/p>\n
D\u2019Angelo Ross<\/p>\n
De\u2019Vante Busby<\/p>\n
Jackson is gone via Free Agency.\u00a0 He did not play well in any of those games.\u00a0 The Patriots felt that his salary demands were way out of line with his actual performance.\u00a0 He did have 8 interceptions last year and 25 over the 4 years he played for NE.\u00a0 That will be hard to replace.<\/p>\n
Boundry Corners<\/strong><\/p>\n Jalen Mills<\/strong> \u2013 It appears that Mills will be one of the starting corners.\u00a0 His performance last season left a lot to be desired.\u00a0 I am worried if Mills is one of the starters.<\/p>\n Joejuan Williams \u2013 <\/strong>the 4th<\/sup> year Pro has never lived up to his 2019 2nd-round selection (#45).\u00a0 It was expected that Williams with his 6\u20193\u201d size would be a good matchup for those bigger receivers.\u00a0 That hasn\u2019t been the case.\u00a0 Williams appears slow, unable to make the quick change of direction the Patriots like in their DBs.\u00a0 At the combine, Williams ran a pedestrian 4.64 40-yard dash but did run a 6.92 3-cone drill.\u00a0 Anything under 7 on the 3-cone drill indicates a quick change of direction.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have Williams making the team unless there is an injury.<\/p>\n Terrance Mitchell <\/strong>\u2013 Mitchell was signed as a Free Agent this season.\u00a0\u00a0 The 2014 7th-round\u00a0pick by Dallas was on the Practice Squad his 1st<\/sup> year and played parts of 7 consecutive seasons, including as a starter last year for Houston.\u00a0 His stats for last season had him making 60 tackles, 2nd<\/sup> highest of his career, 1 INT, and 10 Pass Breakups.\u00a0 Comparing his combine numbers to Williams he ran a 4.63 but had a blistering 6.57 3-cone drill.\u00a0 I expect that Mitchell will be a starter, at least at the start of the season.<\/p>\n Malcolm Butler <\/strong>– Butler has also signed as Free Agent this off-season. \u00a0He was out of football last year and at 32, he is a bit old to be playing cornerback.\u00a0 When he left the Titans after the 2020 season he was playing at a high level.\u00a0 Can he replicate this performance as a 32-year-old DB?\u00a0 I don\u2019t have him making the team but not for performance reasons.\u00a0 He will be a veteran cut at the 53-man cut-down date on 30 August.\u00a0\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t mean he won\u2019t be on the week one roster.\u00a0 As a veteran, Butler will become a Free Agent immediately and not be subject to passing through waivers.\u00a0 He will sit in Foxboro, and be re-signed a few days later, allowing a younger player to not be exposed to waivers and then added to the IR (recall).\u00a0 Another option is to sign Butler to the Practice Squad and be subject to weekly call-ups.\u00a0 The NFL has granted teams up to 3 call-ups each week and each player can be recalled 3 times in the season.<\/p>\n Jack Jones <\/strong>\u2013 Jack Jones was the surprise of OTAs and Mini-Camp.\u00a0 His ball skills remind many of what JC Jackson showed as a rookie.\u00a0 Jack Jones is slender at only 177 lbs.\u00a0 Jones tallied 41 combined tackles, three interceptions, and six pass deflections in 11 games for the Sun Devils. He proved to be a ball hawk in other aspects as well, recording three forced fumbles on the season.<\/p>\n Longtime scout and front office executive TJ McCreight offered his thoughts on Jones. Jones\u2019 versatility and instincts are two of the biggest things that could work, as New England tries to remake the secondary.\u00a0 McCreight says he has \u201cOutstanding instincts and eyes.\u201d\u00a0 Jones ran a 4.43 handheld 40-yard dash at the combine.\u00a0 He also put up a 6.92 3-cone drill.\u00a0 I will be watching Jones during the pre-season to measure his progress.\u00a0 Some believe he may be the starter.\u00a0 I would think he would be the starter by mid-season.<\/p>\n Slot Corner <\/strong><\/p>\n Shaun Wade \u2013 <\/strong>Wade was acquired from the Ravens for a 2022 7th<\/sup> round and a 2023 5th<\/sup> round selection.\u00a0 Wade was a 2021 5th-round\u00a0selection out of Michigan.\u00a0 He stands 6\u20191\u201d and 198 lbs. and ran a 4.46 40 at his Pro Day.\u00a0 At the OTAs and Mini Camp, Wade was switched to slot corner.\u00a0 \u00a0He has the size to play safety as well.\u00a0 His versatility is exactly what the Patriots like in their players.<\/p>\n Jonathan Jones<\/strong> \u2013 Jone’s injury last season put the secondary in quite the bind.\u00a0 Once out of the lineup, no one stepped up to fill that role.\u00a0 Slot receivers toasted the Patriots’ secondary.\u00a0 Having Jones back should be a huge boost to the secondary.\u00a0 This will give the Patriots time to develop the rookies like Marcus Jones as capable backups.<\/p>\n Myles Bryant <\/strong>\u2013 Bryant made a great play at the end of the Patriots’ victory over the Bills in the monsoon played in Buffalo.\u00a0 He knocked away the pass at the end of the game, ensuring the victory.\u00a0 However, that was the only play he made.\u00a0 Bryant is a smaller DB at 5\u20198\u201d 183 lbs.\u00a0 He made the team as an Undrafted Free Agent out of Washington.\u00a0 His poor play at the end of the season puts him behind as he heads into the preseason.\u00a0 Bryant might be tried at Safety, but his 4.62 40 means that he doesn\u2019t have the makeup speed to recover from those double moves.\u00a0 He has the quickness as his 6.82 3-cone drill indicates. \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Marcus Jones <\/strong>\u2013 I was very excited when the Patriots drafted Marcus Jones in the third round.\u00a0 First, his Punt Return skills are off the charts.\u00a0 Jones was the number one Punt Returner in the country.\u00a0 He is immediately the starter at Punt Returner once he is on the roster.\u00a0 The question is whether or not he is recovered from his off-season double shoulder surgeries.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0He wore the red non-contact jersey during the Mini-Camp.\u00a0 He is super-fast and has outstanding speed as evident by his estimated 4.38 40.\u00a0 \u00a0He did not perform any drills at the combine or pro day due to his shoulder surgeries.\u00a0 \u00a0Will Jones be ready or does he make the team and then be placed on IR?\u00a0 Either way, he will make a major impact on the team.\u00a0 Although he is only 5\u20198\u201d and 177 lbs, with his quickness I expect that he will become an excellent slot corner.\u00a0 \u00a0He may be the player that goes on IR after he has made the final 53-man roster and Butler is re-signed.<\/p>\n Safeties\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Kyle Dugger<\/strong> \u2013 Dugger is becoming one of the most feared players in the league.\u00a0 He is a tremendous hitter from his Strong Safety\/ LB position.\u00a0 He is bigger than a lot of the linebackers drafted in this year\u2019s draft.\u00a0 He has begun to trust his instincts and is making big plays all over the field. \u00a0Dugger ran an outstanding 4.49 40 at 6\u20192\u201d 221 lbs.\u00a0 Dugger is becoming the glue in the secondary and will be the heir apparent to McCourty as the leader.<\/p>\n Adrian Phillips<\/strong> – \u00a0Phillips has been the unsung hero of the defense the last two seasons.\u00a0 He has been playing the Big Nickel position.\u00a0 He is more of a linebacker playing safety. The Patriots play more nickel and dime coverage than they do the base 3-4.\u00a0 Phillip’s excellent versatility, sure tackling and coverage of TEs make him an invaluable piece to the defense.\u00a0 His tackles were down in 2021 because he split time with Kyle Dugger, but still managed 92 tackles and 4 INTs.\u00a0 In 2020 he had 109 tackles. \u00a0Entering his 9th<\/sup> season the 30-year-old has gone from Undrafted to All-Pro.\u00a0 Phillips isn\u2019t going anywhere as he signed a three-year extension in January.\u00a0 Over his two-year stint with the Patriots Phillips has not missed a game.\u00a0 \u00a0Mike Reiss says the contract he signed with the Patriots is one of the biggest bargains in the league.<\/p>\n Joshua Bledsoe\u00a0 <\/strong>Bledsoe was drafted last year, knowing that he was hurt and would likely be unable to play in 2021.\u00a0 That\u2019s what happened.\u00a0 Bledsoe did recover enough to practice late in the season but was never activated from IR.\u00a0 The 5\u201911\u201d, 201 safety was drafted out of Missouri, a 6th<\/sup> round selection, pick # 188.\u00a0 At Missouri, he had 130 career tackles and one sack in 46 games.\u00a0 Bledsoe runs an estimated 4.52 40.\u00a0 Because of his injuries suffered during the Senior Bowl practices, he was unable to participate in the Combine or Pro Days.\u00a0 The estimated 40 time comes from NFL Draftscout.\u00a0 Coaches liked what they saw in Bledsoe during the three-week time he was able to have him practice.\u00a0 At a minimum, Bledsoe should be a 4 team core special teamer.<\/p>\n Devin McCourty <\/strong>The old man, the rock of the secondary and undisputed team leader, has been a member of the Patriots since he was drafted in the 1st<\/sup> round #27 in the 2010 draft.\u00a0 Entering his 13 year the vet will turn 35 in August.\u00a0 This is the last hurrah for McCourty.\u00a0 In his career, he has won 3 Super Bowls, 3 times 2nd<\/sup> team All-Pro, 3 Time Pro Bowler, and a team captain for the last 9 seasons.\u00a0 Originally drafted as a CB, McCourty struggled there his 1st<\/sup> two seasons before moving to Free Safety. \u00a0He will be hard to replace, but this season you should see someone emerge as his heir apparent (Bledsoe?).<\/p>\n Jabrill Peppers <\/strong>Peppers was signed as a surprise Free Agent.\u00a0 His athletic ability is beyond question.\u00a0 He held the NJ state record in the 100 dash as a senior and also won the 200-yard dash the same year.\u00a0 He attended Don Bosco Prep his first two years and led them to the state championship.\u00a0 He transferred to Paramus Catholic and won the state championship his last two years for them.\u00a0 That was state champion all 4 years.\u00a0 He was ranked as the #1 HS recruit and chose Michigan.\u00a0 During his three years at Michigan, he had 333 total tackles.\u00a0 He played both SS and LB.\u00a0 At the combine, he worked out at both positions and posted a 4.43 handheld 40 time.\u00a0 His Bench Press was 19 which is strong for a \u00a0DB, then he produced a 26 on the Wonderlic intelligence test.\u00a0 Drafted by the Browns with the 25th<\/sup> pick in the 1st<\/sup> round of the 2017 draft, the soon to be 27 year old started at Free Safety.\u00a0 During his 5 year career, Peppers missed time in 2018, going on IR for a Traverse Process Fracture and in 2021 for a torn ACL.\u00a0 His recovery from the ACL should be monitored, but we heard nothing about it during the OTAs and Mini-Camp.\u00a0 Peppers, if healthy give the Patriots the strongest group of Strong Safeties in the league.\u00a0 \u00a0He was named a team captain with the Giants in 2020.<\/p>\n Brenden Schooler – <\/strong>Despite an ability to be an effective two-way player, Schooler projects primarily as a special teamer player at the pro level. He played wide receiver at both Oregon and Arizona before transferring to Texas. As a Longhorn, he made a position switch to safety. \u00a0Schooler logged 50 tackles as a sixth-year senior.\u00a0 He is a potential replacement for Matthew Slater who may retire soon.\u00a0 In his career, he had a total of 143 tackles and four interceptions and 55 receptions for 661 yards.\u00a0 At 6\u20191.5 and 215 he ran a 4.43 40 and 6.71 3-cone drill at his Pro Day.\u00a0 He will be one I am watching in pre-season to see if he can make the team as a special team player, otherwise, I see him as a Practice Squad signee.<\/p>\n Gronk Retires \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A sure-fire 1st<\/sup> ballot Hall of Famer, when he is eligible.\u00a0 The question is will he stay retired.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe he is done.\u00a0 Look for him to sign with Tampa mid-way or sooner.\u00a0 One of those veteran moves that he doesn\u2019t want to go through the grind of a pre-season. \u00a0The things he did for the Patriots in his career were magical.\u00a0 My favorite was his block that took Indy Safety and former Patriot Sergio Brown out of the club. \u00a0The block, during which\u00a0<\/strong>Brown wound up about 10 yards out of bounds, was so extreme Gronkowski received a flag. After the game, Gronkowski was asked about the play, and he answered in textbook fashion. \u201cHe was just yapping at me the whole time, Gronkowski told reporters. \u00a0So I took him and threw him out of the club.\u201d<\/p>\n DeShaun Watson<\/strong><\/p>\n His hearing with an independent arbitrator continues on Wednesday.\u00a0 His lawyers argue there is no precedent for this kind of punishment and also invoke the defense that the league has failed to punish owners Robert Kraft, Daniel Snyder, and Jerry Jones for their digressions.\u00a0 \u00a0Texas Grand Jury failed to indict Watson.<\/p>\n Watson agreed to settle 20 of 24 civil lawsuits for sexual misconduct, but the league is seeking at least a one-year suspension, one of the people told The AP.\u00a0 Watson wants to play for Cleveland this year.\u00a0 \u00a0A Baker Mayfield trade depends upon the outcome of this hearing and ultimately the ruling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This week we will analyze the New England Patriots Defensive Backs.\u00a0 The Defensive Backs are going to make or break the team this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":37879,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\n