McCourty’s retirement leaves Patriots with huge void
BOSTON — Devin McCourty earned several nicknames from his teammates. Perhaps it was Matthew Slater who came up with the best one.
He called him “Mr. Patriot.” During a media session a few years back, Slater explained why he gave McCourty, who announced his retirement Friday, that moniker.
“I just think of everything he embodies and what he stands for. Obviously his on-the-field play is elite, he’s one of the best players at his position in the league. On the field, he’s like another coach,” Slater said. “He’s so reliable, so consistent, his football I.Q. is the best that I’ve seen over the last several years. It’s up there with the best over the course of my career.
“And then what he does off the field, as well. The type of man he is, his consistent character, the things that he does in the community, the type of teammate that he is. If you’re looking for a guy that you want to build a team around, you want young players to look to and model, that’s Devin McCourty.”
It’s hard to sum up McCourty, and his importance to the Patriots, much better than that.
As it is, all it took was one film session with McCourty in 2010, then a prospect out of Rutgers, for Bill Belichick to be sold.
And now, the Patriots have to somehow fill the void. Granted, at age 35, with 13 seasons under this belt, McCourty wasn’t quite the same player as in earlier years. But that doesn’t diminish his importance.
The Patriots still have to find another quarterback for their defense, another safety with his intelligence to get everyone in position, and also man center field.
Perhaps, that player lies inhouse, be it Kyle Dugger or perhaps Adrian Phillips. Perhaps Jonathan Jones, an impending free agent, or Jalen Mills, can be the next McCourty, making the switch from corner.
Or maybe, the Patriots need to delve into free agency to find a replacement, and or the draft, to groom one.
Trying to shut down all of the