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Patriots cornerback snapshot
Bill Belichick keeps a watchful eye on rookie defensive backs Jonathan Wilhite (24) and Terrence Wheatley (22). (Robert E. Klein / For the Globe)
Eighth in a series of position snapshots leading into Patriots training camp, focusing on cornerbacks:
| STRENGTH | Experience/intelligence. Between Fernando Bryant, Ellis Hobbs and Jason Webster – three top players on the depth chart – there are a combined 20 seasons, 244 career regular-season games played and 216 career regular-season starts. |
| WEAKNESS | Playmaking void. Asante Samuel, who departed to the Eagles in free agency, totaled 16 interceptions over the last two regular seasons, and had 22 in his five years in New England. The combination of Bryant, Hobbs and Webster -- the projected top three players on the depth chart at this time – has 24 interceptions over a combined 20 regular seasons. |
| TOP QUESTIONS | How will the loss of Asante Samuel affect the club? Will any of the team’s under-the-radar free-agent moves – Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, Lewis Sanders – pay off with a big reward? Will Hobbs, who had surgeries for a hernia and on his shoulder this offseason, be recovered? Will second-round pick Terrence Wheatley and/or fourth-round pick Jonathan Wilhite emerge as a regular contributor on defense? Will special assistant/secondary coach Dom Capers, in his first year with the club, have a major impact? |
| INSTANT ANALYSIS | Cornerback figures to draw some of the most attention in training camp because of the turnover at the position, with Asante Samuel (Eagles) and Randall Gay (Saints) departing in free agency. The loss of safety Eugene Wilson (Buccaneers), who could drop down and play in the slot, should also be factored into the equation – although Wilson had dipped low on the depth chart by the end of last season (with Brandon Meriweather overtaking him, and offering similar flexibility). It will be interesting to see who is at the position on the opening of camp, and the projection here is that Bryant is likely to be lining up at Samuel’s old spot. If Hobbs is not yet fully cleared to practice medically, then Webster would be the choice on the opposite side. Mike Richardson (2nd year), Lewis Sanders (9th year), Antwain Spann (3rd year), Terrence Wheatley (rookie, 2nd round) and Jonathan Wilhite (rookie, 4th round) round out the competition. |
| FUTURE | Hobbs is signed through 2009, while Bryant, Webster and Sanders all inked one-year deals in the offseason. Wilhite signed a four-year deal last Friday, while Wheatley – as of late Sunday night – had yet to officially sign. Richardson, who had a competitive training camp in 2007 before landing on injured reserve after the third preseason game, is inked through 2010. |
For more on the cornerbacks, check out this survey gallery and vote for how you think the position might shake down during training camp and beyond.
believe in Bill
is it just me or was randall gay never really that good? not including last year and 2004 gay ending the season in like week 2 on IR everytime. i'd rather have troy brown starting at CB than randall gay. he got burned badly multiple times aginst terrible recievers from jacksonville in the playoffs.
Ellis Hobbs or Randall Gay: who is worse?
tough choice. more evidence to come this season
Is there a Ty Law signing in the future to add some playmaking ability?
I thought Randall Gay was ok. They won a super bowl with him as the starter for much of '04 (I thought he outperformed Samuel that year too, at least until the playoffs...). Last year he almost exclusively played in the slot, which I think was a bad spot for him. He should do well in New Orleans on the outside.
Mike, what are the chances of the team bringing Chad Scott back to compete?
If rookies arrive today, and Mayo and Wheatley are unsigned....do they turn up?
I'm cautiously optimistic about the 2 rookie corners. This situation is very similar to that of 2003 when Ty Law was gone and everyone thought the Pats' secondary was doomed. Samuel and Wilson stepped-up, and the Pats' defense that year was great. Granted, trading for a NT like Ted Washington helped, but if Seymour returns to form that's like acquiring a stud D-lineman through free agency.
Hobbs is the worst!!
What are the chances that the Patriots trade WR Chad Jackson plus a 2009 second-day draft choice to the Eagles for disgruntled CB Lito Sheppard during training camp?
i think the secondary will be fine with a (hopefully) healthy ellis hobbs, solid veteran in fernando bryant and a talented rookie in wheatley. they'll miss samuels playmaking, but will have more overall depth (wheatley is a clear upgrade over gay) and should give up less big plays. they will also benefit from an improved pass rush (healthy seymour and adalius thomas on the outside) as well as the coaching of dom capers
This (moreso than an aging linebacker corp) is the achilles' heel of the team, in my view. Samuel was a bit overrated (although proving me wrong often enough), and Gay, Wilson and Hobbs were subpar. With the experienced free agents brought in, and draft picks that show potential, the patching might work for this year. But what if you learn early in the season it does not?
I was a big fan of Ty Law back in the day, and while he is a bit long in the tooth, and overpriced, it might be worth the insurance to sign him to a 2-year deal. If no one rises out of this bunch, he could be the difference between good and bad.
Stop looking for Ty Law!! He is old and slow, what have we all been wishing for?? Youth and speed. Law is going to want big money for his name not his present ability. Hell, why not bring back Bledsoe to backup Brady.................thought so.
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