On Monday, Bill Belichick lauded the Patriots security group as being his deepest place, and the unit on his soccer staff that he has the best confidence in heading into the season.
The cornerbacks?
On paper, they don’t maintain a candle to the safeties. With the roster now set at 53, nook stands because the weakest place on the staff.
Malcolm Butler and Terrence Mitchell, veteran corners signed within the offseason following the departure of prime nook J.C. Jackson, are not with the staff.
Butler was waived with an damage designation final week, whereas Mitchell was launched with all of the cut-downs Tuesday. Mitchell, who began out properly, and regarded like he can be within the combine, didn’t make the ultimate roster largely due to the event of youthful gamers.
The Patriots needed to really feel safe and assured sufficient with the younger guys, as a result of they’re going with Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Shaun Wade, Jack Jones and Marcus Jones, the latter two being rookies.
Bryant, who’s 24, and Wade, who turns 24 subsequent month, additionally add to the youth motion.
Having an awesome safeties room is one factor. But the corners loom as a much bigger deal on protection.
Asked just lately in regards to the Patriots’ bounty of safeties, former Patriot nice Rodney Harrison lower to the chase: “I’d rather be really good at corner, than really good at safety.”
In this offense-crazed, receiver-driven NFL, it’s laborious to argue with that evaluation.
Are the Patriots actually good at nook?
Not proper now.
It’s definitely attainable this group will shock, and enhance down the street, however wanting on the present breakdown, the projected starters are all taking part in up a degree. They’re out of order.
Mills is a No. 2 taking part in as a No. 1. Jonathan Jones is an excellent slot nook, moved out on the sting as a result of he was their best choice. Bryant, in the meantime, can play within the slot, however he’s not a top-flight nickel nook.
To be truthful, the group carried out fairly properly throughout coaching camp, however the common season would be the higher check.
Right out of the gate, they’ll be in a observe meet, coping with Miami’s assortment of elite receivers.
Speedsters Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Cedrick Wilson now lead the Dolphins, together with tight finish Mike Gesicki, who’s extra like a receiver.
They most likely can’t wait to check out the Patriots secondary.
Same with Pittsburgh’s Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Chase Claypool, who comply with Week 2. Both groups will assault, and it’ll be fascinating to see how the Patriots maintain up.
Based on the personnel, they’re going to need to be a heavy zone staff simply to offer themselves an opportunity.
Man protection isn’t going to chop it, at the very least not straight away. Maybe they’ll sprinkle it in, but it surely’s uncertain they’ll play man-to-man as a lot as they’ve previously.
That’s as a result of for the primary time in a very long time, the Patriots begin the season with out a respectable shutdown nook. They’ve at all times had one, be it Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Aqib Talib, Darrelle Revis, Stephon Gilmore, or Jackson.
Right now, Mills is being requested to fill these footwear.
He was arguably the Patriots’ finest participant all through coaching camp in both scheme. He’s tenacious, assaults the soccer and makes performs. There’s lots to love about him main the room.
But even with that, it’s laborious imagining him holding as much as Cincy’s Ja’Marr Chase, who’s additionally on the Patriots common season docket, together with Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson and Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs.
The Patriots bought a style of what’s in retailer whereas they had been out in Las Vegas, when DaVante Adams torched Mills the primary day of joint practices, earlier than Mills bought a measure of revenge by breaking even the second day.
The Patriots additionally had no reply for Raiders slot receiver Hunter Renfrow, who had his means with Bryant.
The wild card? Their beacon of hope?
The rookies.
Jack Jones, who has been largely used outdoors, and Marcus Jones, who’s seen time within the slot, each confirmed promise. They each flashed throughout coaching camp.
Jack Jones doesn’t have the largest body (5-11, 175), however he has nice instincts and a eager potential to learn performs. He’s additionally a ballhawk who’s not afraid to put slightly lumber.
Against the Raiders, Jones compelled a fumble after crushing a operating again. Another large hit broke up a cross.
Marcus Jones, in the meantime, is even smaller (5-8, 175) however has been capable of maintain his personal thus far at this degree.
Along with Bryant (undrafted in 2020) and Wade (Fifth-round decide, 2021), the unit is infused with youth.
Cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino, who has performed a superb job with the group, stated he particularly loves how the 2 rookies compete and appears ahead to what they’ll deliver sooner or later.
“These guys have come in and competed with the rest of the group,” Pellegrino stated Monday. “I’ve been super excited about how much hunger they’ve had to go out there, play and compete and work to get better every day. That’s been awesome.”
Right now, on the subject of the corners, there’s extra questions than solutions. But they means it’s shaping up, youth will probably be a part of the answer in the long term.
After veterans Mills and Jon Jones, the Patriots are going to depend on a set of youngsters to get the job performed.
Source: www.bostonherald.com