Kamis, 05 April 2012

Pre-Draft Look at the New England Patriots' 2012 Roster: Part 4, Secondary

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The New England Patriots' 2011 alternative was such abused and also such injured: the Patriots utilised 16 assorted players in the secondary, and forfeited individual to injuries.

Thousands of articles hit been cursive on the problems with the alternative in 2011, and the requirement to organisation alternative help. But the determine of this program is to countenance at who's already on the roster, not who strength be.

So, without boost ado, let's countenance at the underway candidates for the Patriots' alternative in 2012.

 

Candidates (13)

Will Allen, Kyle Arrington, Josh Barrett, Sergio Brown, Apostle Chung, Marquice Cole, Ras-I Dowling, Steve Gregory, Bret Lockett (restricted liberated agent), Devin McCourty, Sterling Moore, doc Ventrone, Malcolm Williams

This itemize doesn't allow statesman Edelman and Gospels Slater, who apiece played most octad proportionality of the Patriots' antitank snaps in 2011, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com, as both are traded as panoramic receivers.

It also doesn't allow country saint Ihedigbo, who is currently an unsigned liberated agent.

At the moment, the action are understandably evenhandedly slim—out of this assemble of 13, to ready with past trends, the Patriots would be ownership 10.

 

Cornerback

The large question, at the moment, is where Devin McCourty module play: he was a Pro Bowler as a rookie at cornerback in 2010, but regressed seriously in 2011, to the saucer that the Patriots started activity him at safety, where his endeavor reinforced to whatever degree. If the Patriots organisation to ready McCourty at safety, then their requirement at country becomes a aggregation modify than before. If they organisation to advise him backwards to CB, then country becomes a glaring issue. Bill Belichick has noted that digit of the linebackers in the 4-3 or 3-4 is ofttimes replaced by a country in nickel/dime packages. But presented their assets in McCourty, and his endeavor in 2010, he'll sure be around in 2012.

Ras-I Dowling was drafted with the No. 33 garner in 2011. If healthy, he'll probable also be a starter; he showed he could be a playmaker in the Patriots' flavour person against Miami, but just played the rest of the flavour (he ended up on IR in midseason). On the added hand, Kyle Arrington, an undrafted liberated agent, equal for the association advance in 2011 with heptad interceptions. At a minimum, he'll be a beatific interval corner.

One of the heroes of this year's AFC Championship Game, Sterling Moore, ease added undrafted liberated agent, module also contend for activity time. That said, it's worth noting that the Patriots actually did promulgation him in midseason, exclusive to alter him backwards a pair of games later, so he'll ease hit to acquire his spot.

The Patriots also subscribed past Algonquin Dolphin Will comedienne to a one-year "prove-it" deal, and are also transfer backwards Malcolm Williams, who they drafted in the ordinal ammo of the 2011 draft. My cord suggests that undergo module win discover here, and comedienne module attain the roster.

Projection (5): Allen, Arrington, Dowling, McCourty, Moore 

 

Safety (5)

We crapper move soured by locution that Apostle Chung should attain the team, as should Steve Gregory, a past Chargers country who subscribed with the Patriots for threesome eld at most $8.5 million.

Beyond that, though, it's essentially a stomach-churning toss-up. The important candidates are Josh Barrett, an undrafted liberated agent, who's been on scraped jock for most of the terminal digit seasons; Sergio Brown, ease added undrafted liberated agent, who did endeavor in 15 games, but was roundly criticized by fans; Bret Lockett, a ordinal undrafted liberated agent, who hasn't played in a regular-season mettlesome since 2009; and doc Ventrone, the manlike yo-yo who's played primarily primary teams.

It's country that the Patriots module be adding whatever more bodies at this position. If saint Ihedigbo doesn't clew elsewhere, he'll probable convey to New England. For now, though, it is what it is, and primary teams contributions should acquire Sergio emancipationist and doc Ventrone symptom on the roster. I'll go with Josh Barrett for the terminal spot, since he at small managed to endeavor in 2011. (Update: The Patriots did not protective Lockett, message that he is today an open liberated agent. Obviously, though, this doesn't modify my projection.)

Projection (5): Barrett, Brown, Chung, Gregory, Ventrone

 

Summary

Projected Offensive Skill Positions Total: 16 (see Part 1 of this series)

Projected Offensive Linemen: 9 (see Part 2 of this series)

Projected Defensive LinemenlLinebackers: 15 (see Part 3 of this series)

CB (5): Allen, Arrington, Dowling, McCourty, Moore 

S (5): Barrett, Brown, Chung, Gregory, Ventrone

Total Secondary: 10

Specialists: 3

Total: 53

Read more New England Patriots programme on BleacherReport.com

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