New CB looks familiar
McCourtys reunite
FOXBORO — Jason McCourty has been a starting cornerback every year but his rookie season in the NFL whether with the Tennessee Titans his first eight seasons, or with the Cleveland Browns his last.
Given that as a backdrop, there’s every reason to believe he was brought in by the Patriots via trade as a potential replacement for Malcolm Butler, who was lost in free agency.
Just don’t mention that to his brother, Devin.
“I wouldn’t say that (he’s a replacement for Malcolm),” Devin said during the McCourty twins’ gettogether with the media yesterday at Gillette Stadium. “You can’t replace guys that, whether it’s Malcolm, Nate (Solder), Dion (Lewis) — like those guys were a huge part of our team success over the last couple years. You just don’t pick a — no offense to Jason — but we just don’t bring a guy in here, whether it’s a veteran or rookie, and think they’re just going to take over a huge role that those play.
“So, we can’t replace those guys with just one guy,” Devin McCourty added. “But, I think the thing you learn in the NFL is each year your team is different, so we’ll have to find different ways to win games without the Malcolms, without the Dions, the Nates, so that’s the challenge of every offseason of trying to come together as a team.”
Interesting words from the Patriots defensive captain, but not totally surprising. It goes back to the team mantra of working hard, doing your job, and allowing the coaches to put players in the best positions for the team to win.
That mantra, of course, took a huge hit during the Super Bowl LII loss to the Eagles with Butler standing on the sidelines while the defense got torched.
Why was such an irreplaceable player not used? It’s a question that may never get fully answered but keeps turning up when someone like McCourty puts Butler in that category. He added Solder and Lewis into the mix, and collectively, the Patriots have some holes to fill. As Devin said, it might not be one guy filling the role in some of these cases.
Jason McCourty, of course, is going to have to win the job opposite Stephon Gilmore. Nothing is ever promised or handed over to anyone, although safety Duron Harmon did give McCourty his No. 30 jersey, which is the number McCourty has worn during his career.
Brother Devin, while not conceding him a starting job, believes Jason will help the Patriots based on his experience alone.
“Coming here, I think he has an opportunity to help us . . . as a veteran, a guy that’s played a lot of football, been in different circumstances,” Devin said. “So, he brings leadership that I think we don’t have on this team, really — you know, a guy that’s been on some losing teams, some winning teams. He knows how to deal with adversity, but I think that’s the biggest thing. You know, sometimes we get in a routine, we’ve won a lot of football games, and it’s always good to hear a different perspective of what it takes so you’re not kind of getting worn down or thinking we’re working hard, this is too much. You get a perspective from him of going 0-16 — like he always tell me, ‘Last year, worst year ever.’ And I think hearing that motivates you and lets you know you’re doing the right things that pushes you, so I’m excited to have him here.”
Currently, during the second phase of the offseason program, there isn’t much heavy lifting. Jason McCourty is getting to know the players, the playbook, and getting a sense of what it is to be a Patriot.
And even though the twins played together at Rutgers, both as corners, Devin said they still have to get to know each other again on the football field.
“Communicating was different in college,” Devin said. “We didn’t do as many things as we do at the professional level. We were on opposite sides of the field. I think now my role here is always in the middle of the defense, communicating with both sides. So, seeing how he plays, seeing how he likes people to talk to him, that’s what I’m always trying to do when we get new corners in here.”
For his part, Jason McCourty also wasn’t assuming anything. He hasn’t penciled himself in for Butler’s spot, either. He knows he has to earn it.
“Competition is competition. However all of that works its way out, it works its way out,” he said. “For me, there’s no designated role that I see myself filling. Whatever the coaching staff puts me in the position to do, I’m going to give it my all and see where that puts me at the end of the day.”