With the Patriots and CB Fernando Bryant expected to finalize a one-year contract, the following is a snapshot look at New England's personnel at cornerback:
Fernando Bryant (5-11, 184) -- Veteran is expected to sign a one-year free-agent deal, and will look to turn back the clock to his days with Dom Capers with the Jaguars (1999-2000), when he was a highly touted first-round pick.
Ellis Hobbs (5-9, 195) -- Returning starter who will look to work his way back following offseason surgery (hernia, groin).
Brandon Meriweather (5-11, 200) -- First-round pick in 2007 has position flexibility to line up at safety and corner.
Tim Mixon (5-9, 184) -- Practice squad player in 2007 will look to emerge.
Mike Richardson (5-11, 190) -- Sixth-round draft choice out of Notre Dame in 2007 spent last year on injured reserve.
Lewis Sanders (6-1, 210) -- Veteran signed a one-year deal as a free agent and is the tallest of the current crop.
Antwain Spann (6-0, 195) -- Mostly a special teams presence.
Jason Webster (5-9, 187) -- Veteran signed a one-year deal as a free agent and hopes to turn back the clock to his 49er days (2000-2003), when he worked his way into a top free agent.
Quantity, not quality
Is Bryant any good? All I can seem to find are the facts about where he was drafted and how many starts he's had, but nobody has posted anything about where they feel he fits with the team. Obviously he's not Asante, but is this a guy they're thiniking is good enough to start, or is he another fringe signing that may fill in at nickel or could start in a pinch? On paper he's the best we've signed at CB, but is he good enough to start?
weak. we'll be picked apart again in the big game next playoffs...
If the pass rush is better with Caper's help, they can get away with mediocre DBs. Pats won championships with the likes of Otis Smith, Randall Gay, Tyrone Poole, Hank Poteat, Earthwind Moreland and Troy Brown. Ty Law didn't play in the 04 post season.
Otis and Poole were far from mediocre in the '01 and '03 seasons, respectively. Gay had a pretty good '04 too, especially during the regular season after he took over for Law. And they weren't merely products of the system either, because the system also saw the likes of Buckley/Myers getting killed in '02, then later on guys like Earthwind Moreland and Duane Starks not doing all that well either. So I think the hope at this point is that Bryant or Webster can be the next Otis or Poole.
Also, if you look up some of Mike's reports from camp last year and watch tapes of the preseason games, I think some of you may be more hopeful about Richardson too. I think the coaching staff is too, considering the 4 year contract they've given him.
I agree with Alex..IT's THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!!!....Patriots will go 0-16 next year
can we really count on Meriweather getting time at corner. Wouldn't that leave just sanders and harrison to hold down the safety position, which is frankly not good enough given age/health/etc.. I think it is much more likely that he joins them in the safety rotation and BB grabs a corner in one of the earlier rounds of the draft.
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