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Safeties Will Have To Lead New England Patriots’ Secondary In 2015

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Devin McCourty New England Patriots

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In my positional breakdown of the New England Patriots, I ranked the team’s units from worst to first as we head into training camp. Safety was eighth on the list, just ahead of defensive tackle and cornerback, and the performance of this unit is critical if the Patriots are to adapt to the losses suffered at corner during the offseason.

Re-signing free safety Devin McCourty to a multi-year deal was the most critical move of New England’s offseason. After the Pats brought back the six-year veteran out of Rutgers, they subsequently lost cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. Last month they also decided to part ways with corners Kyle Arrington and Alfonzo Dennard, leaving the team with plenty of question marks at what was a position of strength in 2014.

The importance of having a leader like McCourty back in the fold can’t be understated. If he wasn’t already, now after the departure of Revis, McCourty becomes the unquestioned leader of the secondary. He is the only proven All-Pro caliber player in the Patriots’ defensive backfield and will have even more responsibility as a leader and playmaker in 2015.

McCourty, 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, isn’t an elite playmaking free safety, but he’s as solid as any in the NFL. While his interception total since moving from cornerback to safety in 2012 is average, McCourty is an extremely reliable tackler and is as good as any safety in the league at limiting big plays.

The reason why this unit is ranked eighth on my list is the constant uncertainty at strong safety. Patrick Chung, rookie Jordan Richards, Tavon Wilson and possibly Duron Harmon are the top players at the position.

Chung, who returned to New England after one season with the Philadelphia Eagles, played surprisingly well during the Patriots’ run to the Super Bowl title. But Chung struggles with consistency in coverage, and whether or not he can repeat his 2014 performance is a key question mark heading into training camp.

Richards, a Stanford product, has the intelligence and leadership qualities to be a solid player. He is thickly built at 5-foot-11, 211 pounds, and is a physical player, but Richards has average movement skills and must prove he can be effective in coverage.

Much like Richards, Wilson, 6-foot, 215 pounds, is a physical player who thrives on throwing his body around. Despite entering his fourth season, Wilson still struggles with consistency and can be a liability when asked to cover in space.

The wild card here is Harmon, who is entering his third season with the Patriots. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Harmon has great length and has shown good instincts in coverage. He may be best suited as a free safety, but has shown the ability to eventually become a starting strong safety. Harmon must prove he can handle the physicality of the position if he’s asked to consistently play closer to the line of scrimmage.

The Patriots also have four-year veteran Nate Ebner on the depth chart. Ebner has a chance to stick on for a fifth season due to his skills as a special-teamer.

If the Patriots are going to be an effective secondary in 2015, they must be extremely solid at the safety position. Turnover and youth at cornerback make it vital that the safety position can steady the ship while the coaching staff attempts to develop and find the right combination at corner. If the safety position can’t provide stability, expect the secondary to struggle mightily in 2015.

If the cornerback situation falls apart, moving McCourty back there could be an option. However, this is a scenario that the coaching staff likely won’t want to consider until it comes to a point of desperation. I also think that’s a move that is a last resort and very unlikely, because you don’t move an All-Pro from his position of strength in order to marginally improve another position.

Nick Sardina is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow Nick onTwitter @nicksardina13, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

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