Mark J. Rebilas USA Today Sports
Cornerback was a position of great strength entering last season for the New England Patriots. However, as they prepare for the upcoming campaign, a cloud of uncertainty surrounds the position this offseason.
The likes of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington are all no longer with the team. This leaves Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan as the only returning corners from last season.
Veteran corners Robert McClain and Bradley Fletcher were brought in during the offseason, but neither is a particularly good corner. Both have weaknesses which have become evident and led to their departures from their previous employers.
That led to the Patriots scooping them up on reasonable contracts and looking to add them to the list of reclamation projects over the year. Brandon LaFell was last season’s reclamation project putting up solid numbers after a few down years in Carolina. Any Patriots fan should know the uncertainty that surrounds this position could become the team’s biggest weakness. And having a lack of talent in the secondary is not something you want to have when you open the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Antonio Brown.
Hopefully, Butler will continue to emerge after his Super Bowl-clinching interception along with the stability of Fletcher and McClain. If all that happens, the secondary could be in decent shape, but only time will tell.
The good thing about training camp is that there will be cuts around the league and some veterans will be looking for new homes. If a solid corner is cut in training camp, expect him to make a journey north to the Patriots.
