On Monday, Bill Belichick lauded the Patriots safety group as being his deepest position, and the unit on his football team that he has the greatest confidence in heading into the season.
The cornerbacks?
On paper, they don’t hold a candle to the safeties. With the roster now set at 53, corner stands as the weakest position on the team.
Malcolm Butler and Terrence Mitchell, veteran corners signed in the offseason following the departure of top corner J.C. Jackson, are no longer with the team.
Butler was waived with an injury designation last week, while Mitchell was released with all the cut-downs Tuesday. Mitchell, who started out well, and looked like he would be in the mix, didn’t make the final roster largely because of the development of younger players.
The Patriots had to feel secure and confident enough with the young guys, because 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 next month, also add to the youth movement.
Having a great safeties room is one thing. But the corners loom as a bigger deal on defense.
It’s certainly possible this group will surprise, and improve down the road, but looking at the current breakdown, the projected starters are all playing up a level. They’re out of order.
Mills is a No. 2 playing as a No. 1. Jonathan Jones is a very good slot corner, moved out on the edge because he was their best option. Bryant, meanwhile, can play in the slot, but he’s not a top-flight nickel corner.
To be fair, the group performed pretty well during training camp, but the regular season will be the better test. Right out of the gate, they’ll be in a track meet, dealing with Miami’s collection of elite receivers. Speedsters Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Cedrick Wilson now lead the Dolphins, along with tight end Mike Gesicki, who is more like a receiver.
They probably can’t wait to test out the Patriots secondary.
Same with Pittsburgh’s Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Chase Claypool, who follow Week 2. Both teams will attack, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Patriots hold up.
Based on the personnel, they’re going to have to be a heavy zone team just to give themselves a chance. Man coverage isn’t going to cut it, at least not right away. Maybe they’ll sprinkle it in, but it’s doubtful they’ll play man-to-man as much as they have in the past.
That’s because for the first time in a long time, the Patriots start the season without a legitimate shutdown corner. They’ve always had one, be it Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Aqib Talib, Darrelle Revis, Stephon Gilmore, or Jackson.
Right now, Mills is being asked to fill those shoes.
He was arguably the Patriots’ best player throughout training camp in either scheme. He’s tenacious, attacks the football and makes plays. There’s plenty to like about him leading the room.
But even with that, it’s hard imagining him holding up to Cincy’s Ja’Marr Chase, who’s also on the Patriots regular-season docket, along with Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson and Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs.
The Patriots got a taste of what’s in store while they were out in Las Vegas, when DaVante Adams torched Mills the first day of joint practices, before Mills got a measure of revenge by breaking even the second day.
The Patriots also had no answer for Raiders slot receiver Hunter Renfrow, who had his way with Bryant.
The wild card? Their beacon of hope?
The rookies.
Jack Jones, who has been largely used outside, and Marcus Jones, who’s seen time in the slot, both showed promise. They both flashed during training camp.
Jack Jones doesn’t have the biggest frame (5-11, 175), but he has great instincts and a keen ability to read plays. He’s also a ballhawk who’s not afraid to lay a little lumber. Against the Raiders, Jones forced a fumble after crushing a running back. Another big hit broke up a pass.
Marcus Jones, meanwhile, is even smaller (5-8, 175) but has been able to hold his own so far at this level. Along with Bryant (undrafted in 2020) and Wade (fifth-round pick, 2021), the unit is infused with youth.
Cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino, who has done a good job with the group, said he especially loves how the two rookies compete and looks forward to what they’ll bring in the future.
“These guys have come in and competed with the rest of the group,” Pellegrino said 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, when it comes to the corners, there’s more questions than answers. But they way it’s shaping up, youth will be part of the solution in the long run.
After veterans Mills and Jon Jones, the Patriots are going to rely on a collection of kids to get the job done.
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