Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Surveying the Secondary: A Look at the Patriots Defensive Backfield - 6/1/2020

Episode Date: June 1, 2020

The New England Patriots have long employed a formidable secondary as an integral part of their successful defense. Host Mike D’Abate takes a look at the Pats’ depth charts at both cornerback and safety and the potential units we might see in 2020.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, you are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and beautiful flower. I'm going to use a small flower pot. I'm going to use a small pot Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. It is Monday, June 1st, 2020, a new month here on the Lockdown Patriots podcast, your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots.

Today's episode is brought to you by Built Bar. Built Bar is a delicious protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Visit BuiltBar.com today and enter promo code LOCKEDON for $10 off your first order. Patriots fans, to say it's been an interesting weekend is probably one of the grossest understatements I've ever made here on Locked On Patriots. And I make that statement in no way to downplay the severity of the events going on around all of us right now. We continue to live through a year that has brought us a great deal of fear, heartbreak,

despair, and outrage. And for the most part, you have all tuned into Locked On Patriots each and every day for, excuse the pun here folks, a break from the heartbreak. You want to focus on New England Patriots football, something that lightens the burden that we've all been feeling lately. But the anger that so many of you feel right now cannot be swept under the rug. It should not be swept under the rug. And while I, simply on a personal level, don't condone violence in any form, I also can't pretend to reasonably understand the injustice and fear that so many Americans have to live with each and every day. I don't have the answers, and to be totally honest with you folks, I'm not qualified to

give those answers. Instead, I simply offer my hope. Hope for an end to the senseless taking of lives. Hope that Americans of all races, all sexual orientations, all creeds can finally stop living in fear. We owe it to ourselves to be the best that we possibly can be. The only way we're going to do that, folks, is to work together, truly listen to each other, and learn to channel our passion toward a better future. So often, that passion gets misguided. It leads to bigotry, oppression, hate, and ultimately violence. But passion can also lead to great things. And that's what I'm hopeful for.

We all need to do better, and that starts with each and every individual. Myself included. Realizing what we as individuals can do to help one another allows us to be able to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. That's how meaningful change happens. Not just for ourselves. Not just for certain select races or groups, but for all humanity. I just hope that realization comes to fruition sooner rather than later.

And again, not to diminish or ignore what's going on in the rest of the world right now, but here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, the business of the day is New England Patriots football. And as I teased the close Fridays pod, today we take a look at one of the strengths of the Patriots defense, perhaps their deepest positions. That's right. It's a dive into the defensive backfield for your New England Patriots, the cornerbacks and the safeties. The Patriots certainly have no shortage of star power in the defensive backfield for your New England Patriots, the cornerbacks and the safeties.

The Patriots certainly have no shortage of star power in their defensive backfield. At the cornerback position, the reigning 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore. We see Jackson and Jonathan Jones have stepped it up as well. But will we see a little more of Juwan Williams this year? And will a healthy Jason McCourty be able to provide additional stability to a unit that is already quite formidable? But don't sleep on the safeties, folks. The Patriots have some impressive talent in the safety position as well. Last week here on the pod, we discussed the return of Patrick

Chung and what it means to the Patriots at the safety position. We'll talk a little bit more about that today, along with the Patriots' top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Kyle Duggar. How will he fit into this backfield? Do the additions of Cody Davis and Adrian Phillips mean the end for Terrence Brooks on the Patriots' safety depth chart? And of course, how can you talk Patriots' safeties without mentioning one of the most beloved Patriots on the roster, and that is safety Devin McCourty. And folks, amidst the turmoil that happened this weekend,

sad and heartbreaking news from the McCourty family, as Devin announced on Saturday afternoon that just a few days prior, he and his wife Michelle tragically lost their newborn daughter Mia due to a stillbirth. And again, folks, this is heartbreaking and devastating news for any family. Losing a child is a pain I can't even fathom. I can say from personal experience that Devin, along with his brother Jason, are two of the greatest guys in the game today. And I join each and every one of you all over Patriots Nation in offering my sincere condolences to the McCourty family during this difficult time.

My thoughts are with you, and may you find the strength that you need. And folks, we are almost ready to dive into the defensive backfield for your New England Patriots here on today's pod. However, as we continue to adjust to our new normal, finding the energy to complete daily tasks lately is not exactly easy. And you know what isn't easy either? Finding a healthy, low-calorie treat that is just as delicious. Well, folks, good news. Your search for a protein bar that gives you everything you need and everything you want is over because Built Bar is that tasty treat that you've been looking for. So don't delay.

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So again, don't delay, make Bilt Bar your go-to protein bar today. Patriots fans, once again, today on the pod, we continue our deep dive into the Patriots positional depth charts. And as I stated to open the show today, we're going to be taking a look at the Patriots defensive backs, the corners and the safeties. And solid depth at the cornerback position is something that is a hallmark of a Bill Belichick coach defense. Typically, during the Belichick era, they've been at their best when the cornerback position is in good hands. And this year, folks, it's in the most capable hands of the NFL. And let's begin our look at the cornerback position by looking into the reigning 2019

Defensive Player of the Year, and that is Stephon Gilmore. Folks, a lot of my colleagues in the media have made this argument, and I think the argument can and should be made. Stephon Gilmore is probably the most talented football player on the New England Patriots roster right now. Two words that describe Stephon's 2019, consistent and dominant. He ranked first and passes defended with 20, recorded six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. He primarily drew the task of covering each opponent's most effective receiver. When that happened, Gilmore definitely did not disappoint. He allowed just one touchdown in 17 games. That includes New England's wildcard round loss to the Tennessee

Titans, and he surrendered more than 55 receiving yards only twice. He also finished third in passer rating allowed at 47.4. That statistic courtesy of Pro Football Focus. So when you encompass that type of resume, it's no wonder that he received this honor. Not only did Stephon win the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year from the Associated Press at the annual NFL Awards, he also won it from the Pro Football Writers of America. So it's really no wonder why Stephon Gilmore is the unquestioned face of the Patriots defense, maybe even the face of the franchise. He's also one of those players whose role I don't expect to change much in 2020. To no one's surprise, he's still going to be the starting cornerback. He'll still be the top option at the position when the Pats defense is playing man-to-man coverage. And in my humble opinion,

Stephon Gilmore does this better than anyone else in the league. He's able to travel over formation if he needs to to follow his assignment, whether it be the opponent's number one receiver or the number two wide receiver. Don't forget, Stephon Gilmore often found himself in that type of coverage last year, and the Patriots actually had some success when putting him on the number two option rather than the number one receiver. I'd look for that to continue in 2020, and even when the Patriots move to zone concepts, Stephon Gilmore isn't going anywhere, folks. He's equally adept at playing both man-to-man and zone. It's true, he's best in man-to-man coverage, but I think he's more versatile than he gets credit for.

Primarily, Stephon Gilmore is a perimeter cornerback. But consider this stat for a moment, folks, and I want to give credit to my man Bernd Buchmasser of Pat's Pulpit for digging this one out. Stephon also has some experience playing in the slot. In 2019, he played inside the formation on 211 of his snaps. That's 21%. Again, that's not even a quarter of his snaps, but to be honest, that's a higher count than I expected to see. A true shutdown corner, has prowess all over the field, and because of the versatility

he has, that's why I truly believe Stephon Gilmore is the best in the game right now. Saying that, you would figure that Stephon Gilmore is as close to a roster lock as you can possibly get, right folks? I still believe he is, but keep in mind that Gilmore right now is still playing on the five-year free agency deal that he signed with the Patriots in 2017. Now, his contract has been altered multiple times over the last couple of years. As a result of these renegotiations, Gilmore's salary cap impact for 2020 is the highest on the team.

He's scheduled to hit the Patriots books with $18.67 million. That's not only the highest cap hit of any player currently on the team. He's scheduled to hit the Patriots books with $18.67 million. That's not only the highest cap hit of any player currently on the team, it's also the highest in the NFL when it comes to his position. So because of that, quite a few fans and media alike have speculated that Stephon Gilmore could either be traded or released or possibly extended. According to a very good friend of Locked On Patriots, you know who I'm going to mention, folks, the Pats cap, the Top Gun, my man Miguel Benzon,

the Patriots would be smart to try to work out an extension with Gilmore. This would lessen the cap hit in 2020, and folks, I agree with Miguel, I think this is the most likely scenario. I can't see the Patriots trading or releasing Stephon Gilmore. I understand that by doing that, they could create almost $11 million in gross salary cap savings. But what they also would be doing is moving on from the best cornerback in the game, a

player that is so important to the Patriots' operation, especially on the defensive side of the ball. So again, as I said with Julian Edelman, I never say never to anything, but I am 99.8% sure that Stephon Gilmore will be on the roster in 2020, and as a result, he's going to play prominent snaps and contend to be one of the best, if not the best, cornerback in the NFL again this year. But the Patriots' effectiveness at the position is not limited to just Stephon Gilmore, folks. They have some pretty adept players at other areas in the cornerback depth chart. Let's start with the man on the other side of the cornerback tandem, and that's JC Jackson. Now, if we're being honest,

Jackson is really not a household name outside of New England. But make no mistake about it, folks, he is going to be a key member of the Patriots secondary in 2020. Jackson is a solid cornerback too, and provides a physical presence on the outside. And the one area where he may outshine even Stephon Gilmore a little is versatility. He's equally adept at being played in both man and zone coverages. Primarily, J.C. Jackson lines up along the outside, but at various points throughout the 2019 season, he actually moved into the slot when the Patriots were playing man-to-man looks. Once again, my man Bernd Buckmasser comes through for me with the statistics. He spent 19.2%. That's 142 snaps of his playing time inside the formation.

That's a little less than Gilmore, and nowhere near enough to consider J.C. Jackson to be their slot corner, but it does prove that in order to be successful in the Patriots system, you have to be a jack-of-all-trades. His primary value is still going to be on the perimeter, without any question. But since coming into the league a couple of years ago, Jackson has continued to progress year after year, and I believe that type of development is going to help him carve out a prominent role in New England's defensive backfield. As I see it

right now, JC Jackson is your number two cornerback, and I think he will be when the 2020 season kicks off. But there are a couple of guys on this roster that could challenge him for that role, and one of them is, in my opinion, one half of the best tandem of twins you'll find in the NFL. And that's Jason McCourty. Jackson may have the youth and explosiveness to be the cornerback too, but I give the edge to McCourty when it comes to experience. He spends most of his time on the perimeter, but he has been moved to the inside as well. Last year he played 262 of his snaps split out wide, compared to only 157 coming from the slot. But that's a more narrow gap than both Stephon Gilmore and JC Jackson,

so it shows that McCourty can perform as both a man-to-man and a zone cornerback. But to me, where McCourty shines the most? His experience and his communication skills. When Jason was sidelined with a groin injury in 2019 that kept him off the field for a few games, it was pretty notable that the Patriots secondary missed him. Like his brother Devin, Jason has pretty much seen it all when it comes to a football field. He's very good at being able to direct guys and let them know where they need to be on the field so that way they're in best position to make a play. Because of those intangibles, not to mention what Jason can bring on the football field,

which is also pretty impressive, the Patriots made a decision to retain McCourty's services for the 2020 season. And his return wasn't a foregone conclusion for this year. Had the Patriots chosen not to exercise Jason's $500,000 option bonus in his contract, he would have been cut loose. There are some cynical souls out there that claim that the only reason why the Patriots did that was to appease his brother Devin, who was also a free agent, and get him to re-sign in New England. I think that was a very small part of it,

but I think the Patriots chose to exercise this option because they realize the value that a guy like Jason McCourty brings to the secondary. From a salary standpoint, he's really not clogging the Patriots' salary cap that much. If they were to release him, they would create a savings of approximately $2.5 million, but I think the caliber at which he plays the position, flanked with his experience, makes Jason McCourty pretty likely to make the roster, in my opinion. But we're not done with the Patriots' depth chart at cornerback just yet, folks. Oh no,

there's another guy on this roster with a lot of upside, but not a whole lot of pedigree behind him. And that is the second round pick for the New England Patriots in the 2019 NFL Draft, and that's Juwan Williams. Now, Williams falls under the category of those players that the Patriots target in the NFL Draft, and then they go out and get them. And from those I've talked to within the organization, the things that they loved most about Williams were his size and his functional athleticism. Because of that, I think you might see a lot more of Williams this year than you did in 2019.

I've heard a lot of people say that he essentially redshirted his first year. That's not exactly accurate because he was active more than people thought he was last year. He just had very sporadic playing time. The reason for that really wasn't a lack of confidence in Williams' ability to get the job done. It was mostly due to the Patriots' great wealth at the cornerback position. At the end of the day, Williams is a rookie, so he simply doesn't have that versatility that you look for in being able to play on the perimeter and also play on the slot. Therefore, his value on the team last year would have likely been limited to him being a perimeter corner that would have handled those taller pass catchers. They already had Stephon

Gilmore doing that and doing that very well. So in a Bill Belichick defense, what's the best way to get noticed when you're primarily responsible for doing one thing? Learn how to do something else. And folks, that's exactly what Juwan Williams is doing. So far during this offseason, it's been reported by several outlets that Williams is training at the safety spot. He wants to try to offer that kind of versatility on top of his unique size that could make him that versatile jack-of-all-trades type player that the Patriots love to employ. So in addition to defending some of the league's taller wide receivers, he could also slot

into the safety position and he could help defend some tight ends. And that was an area where the Patriots struggled last year. So based on that, Williams looks to be a pretty valuable member of this roster. However, there is a caveat, and unfortunately this is no laughing matter. As you may or may not recall, Juwan Williams was arrested for drug possession at the beginning of the offseason. As a result, you have to keep a sharp eye on how this all plays out from a legal standpoint and also when it comes to the league. Therefore, I wouldn't consider it a complete impossibility for the Patriots to consider a trade here.

And if you think that they wouldn't trade someone that they invested a second round pick in, just look at last year. They did the same thing to Duke Dawson, albeit that was a different circumstance. But it does prove the point that the Patriots are not afraid to make the move that they believe will be best for their football team. In my opinion, that's keeping Williams on this roster. Taking the legalities out of this for a moment, I think Williams' size and unique skill set, especially if he hones it in as being a hybrid safety type,

can make him an invaluable part of this secondary, especially with guys like Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty, Patrick Chung getting a little bit older. We saw them bring in Kyle Duggar who we'll get to in the next segment but you don't want all of your depth relegated to the safety position. You want to maintain some of that depth at corner and as great as Stephon Gilmore is right now folks he's not going to be here forever either. So building this position cultivating it and keeping the guys under contract that you need to have here is a key part of that. I think Juwan Williams is a part of the Patriots' future at corner, and that's why I think you're going to see him stick around. But believe it or not, folks, we're still not done with the cornerback position yet,

because we haven't mentioned the primary slot corner on this team, Jonathan Jones. By consensus, Jones kind of had an up and down year in 2019. I still think he played fairly well, and because of that, I still expect to see him get regular action in both the nickel and the dime packages, and I still think you'll continue to see him on the field for the majority of the 2020 season. Again, his bread and butter is playing in the slot. That's where you'll see him for the majority of 2020. Last year, he took 440 snaps there, but he was also split out wide in 125 of them, so much like a reverse Stephon Gilmore or JC Jackson, Jones has some versatility there as well.

He also lined up 45 snaps in a safety alignment. So again, the common theme here is positional versatility. The Patriots definitely have it when it comes to the defensive backfield. He carries a decent cap hit for the Patriots at $5.97 million. That's second among the cornerbacks on the team, but it's also 29th in the league at his position. That essentially tells you that he's paid roughly fair value when it comes to his productivity. Again, much like McCourty and Williams, I don't see a whole lot of value in either trading or cutting Jonathan Jones loose. When he's on his game, he's one of the better

slot corners in the league. That combined with fair market value from a financial standpoint, and you're probably looking at the five corners that the Patriots are likely to retain the services of for 2020. But as I said to open the show today, folks, don't sleep on the safeties. This could be among the most intriguing and the most hotly contested positional battles during training camp this year. Patriots have a lot of depth, a lot of talent, and a lot of veteran leadership here. But who makes the cut? Well, it's a little early to determine that, but when Locked On Patriots returns, I will

take a deep dive into the safety position and give you my opinion on who I believe will be patrolling the Patriots' defensive backfield in the upcoming 2020 NFL season. Once again, Patriots fans, today's Monday episode of the Locked On Patriots pod is all about the defensive backs. And in the previous segment, we began by discussing the cornerback position. Stephon Gilmore, JC Jackson, Jason McCourty. Yeah, there's a lot of talent there. But the Patriots have an equal, if dare I say not greater amount of talent at the safety

position. And where better to start than the Patriots starting free safety? 32-year-old Devin McCourty, who has become one of the most indelible New England Patriots on this roster. Knowing that he was going to be a free agent in 2020, it was almost unfathomable for me to conceive that he would be in a different uniform. Of course, I didn't want to conceive of another player in another uniform. And to make matters worse, not just one, but two former Patriot icons are now wearing that uniform.

Again, folks, conversation for another day. Let's talk about the here and now. And the fact that Devin McCourty will be back in Foxborough this year brings me both great joy and great relief as well. Because not only is Devin one of those important locker room leadership type guys that you need to have a successful franchise, he's also one of the more elite safeties in the NFL. He's coming off arguably his best season at the position. Few, if any, free safeties in the NFL play that deep role in single high looks better than Devin McCourty.

He's great when it comes to two deep schemes, and he can also move closer to the line of scrimmage in distinct situations. He's pretty much on the field each and every snap. Those types of players are so rare that you just don't let them go. The key theme of the previous segment when it came to the cornerbacks was versatility. I think that can absolutely be applied here to the safety position, and it can really be applied mostly to Devin McCourty. Again, he can align deep, he can play in the box, he can play in the slot, he can even

split out as a perimeter cornerback. Don't forget, that's how Devin McCourty started. Coming out as a Rutgers rookie, he was actually a corner that moved to the safety position. But there are times where he still lines up at corner. In fact, he did so last season 39 times. That prowess and versatility, combined with the fact that the two-year contract extension he signed in the offseason only has him hitting the Patriots salary cap for approximately $5.4 million, Devin McCourty is not only a bargain, but he's also pretty much close to a roster lock. But there's another guy in this positional depth chart who, as Virgil Salazzo from The Godfather once said, is a part of the muscle end of the family, and that is strong safety

Patrick Chung. Now, Patrick was not a free agent this past offseason, but he and the Patriots did come to an agreement on a contract extension, one that would lower his cap number from just over $6 million to just over $5 million. It also provides him with a $3 million signing bonus. Translation folks, Patrick Chung is pretty much a roster lock this year as well, and that's good news for the New England Patriots. And I know folks, the Patriots invested significant draft capital to bring in Kyle Duggar. We'll talk about Kyle in just a moment, but the experience that Patrick brings to this position is something that they just could not afford to be without in 2020. Patrick's one of the better traditional strong safeties in the league, but he can also be that hybrid linebacker, and he can do so to defend both in the running game and as a coverage defender

versus tight ends and running backs that are adept at catching the ball out of the backfield. There's a reason why you see Patrick Chung on the field more often than not. He's typically what a lot of people like to call that three defensive down defensive back. Try saying that three times fast. That type of value to a team can't be overstated enough, and that's why the Patriots felt it was necessary for Patrick to be back. It's also my assessment that he's still here in New England to provide a great deal of mentorship. And that is to the Patriots' flagship 2020 NFL draft pick, Kyle Duggar, out of Lenore Rhine. If Chung's experience and versatility makes him a key part of this roster, then what he can provide to Kyle Duggar will help him,

because Duggar may end up being a little bit more durable than Chung. That's in no way a knock on Patrick, who has been one of the more durable players throughout his career, but he did miss a great deal of time in 2019 due to three different injuries. If for any reason, Chung is either slow to return to form, or if he can't return to form, that may mean a significant role for a kid like Kyle Duggar. But as I've said many times here on Locked On Patriots, Duggar can handle that load. He's a very good tackler. He's capable of making plays, evidenced by the 10 interceptions he had when he was at

Lenore Rhine. He possesses the skill to cover a lot of ground, and he has the tools to match up with tight ends and coverage. That's something Patrick Chung is very good at, and I look for a guy like Kyle Duggar to learn a lot from Patrick in that regard. In a best-case scenario, if Patrick Chung is healthy, I think Duggar could slot in and be that third safety that the Patriots love to employ on every down. For the past couple of years, Daron Harmon held that role. He was traded to Detroit during the offseason, so the Pats will need someone to step up and be that guy. I believe Kyle Duggar

will see the majority of the snaps, but again folks, he's a rookie, and there might be some developmental speed bumps. If that's the case, the Patriots went out and got themselves a pretty good pair of veteran safeties that could compete for a roster spot. One I know very well, and I was very happy to see the Patriots sign, and that is Adrian Phillips, formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers. Now, Phillips brings a lot to the table, but he's not really a like-for-like swap-out for Daron Harmon. Harmon used to like to play that deep center part of the field.

Phillips is more of a traditional box safety. But he can definitely play the center part of the field as well, and that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his versatility. When I covered the Chargers, I remembered Phillips as a guy that they used all over the field. They continued to do so for the last few years, and I think that might continue to New England if he's able to make the roster. Again, he's most comfortable as a box safety, but he has spent time lining up as a slot cornerback, as a free safety, and on 18 occasions last year, he even lined up on the defensive line. That type of versatility and the discipline that Adrian Phillips shows on the field is likely one of the big reasons why Bill Belichick was interested in bringing him in. In his purest form, Adrian Phillips makes his best contributions to the Patriots defense by being a number two strong safety or box safety behind Patrick Chung. I think he's better equipped

for that role than Terrence Brooks was back in 2019. Brooks is a guy I'll get to in a little bit. It's really not a knock to Brooks. I just like the way Phillips fills that role better. And something again to remember about Adrian Phillips is his real prowess is on special teams. The Chargers utilized him on all four of their kick coverage teams and also relatively put him on their regular field goal and extra point blocking units. He's one of those special teamers that's always in the right spot at the right time, and that's because of his athleticism and his quick diagnosing skills that is such an invaluable part of being a key special teamer.

Also, because of the way Phillips' contract is structured, he's scheduled to account for $2.2 million against the cap in 2020. However, a lot of that is guaranteed money. Again, folks, our good friend Miguel Benzon has told us that guaranteed money isn't always a reason to keep a player on the roster, but I think the special team's prowess and the ability for Adrian Phillips to be an asset in all areas of the Pats defense makes him a pretty good part of this roster, and I look for him to stick around. The other player that I mentioned that the Patriots brought in at the safety position is Cody Davis, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars. And Davis is a guy that I like more and more with every bit of footage that I watch on

him. To me, his value is primarily on special teams. I could definitely see the Patriots utilizing Cody Davis in the same way that they utilized Nate Ebner for all of those years, seeing playing time on all four coverage units, as well as the team's field goal and extra point teams. He may not quite have the prowess at the safety position that the Patriots would like to make him a roster lock, but if you look at what he was able to do in Jacksonville and even previously when he was with the Rams, he was used all over the field on defense, primarily at both safety positions.

The fact that he is able to assess the field very well may end up giving Cody Davis a little bit of a leg up on his competition, who I believe is the aforementioned Terrence Brooks. Look, a lot of you may be surprised that I have Terrence Brooks as the guy on the outside looking in when it comes to making the roster at the safety position. He had a pretty prominent role in the defense in 2019. But at the end of the day, look at the way the Patriots have invested their resources at the safety position. He had a pretty prominent role in the defense in 2019. But at the end of the day, look at the way the Patriots have invested their resources at the safety position during the offseason. Brought in Kyle Duggar as their top draft choice.

I can tell you from people that I've spoken to within the organization, they love this kid. He's going to be a Patriot for a number of years to come. They bring in Adrian Phillips, who again, even if he's not the main contributor at the safety position, his prowess on the special teams unit made him one of the best in the league at what he does. Nobody is going to unseat Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung, so that leaves likely a fifth and final spot. And when you take a look at Cody Davis and you take a look at Terrence Brooks head-to-head,

look, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Patriots go in either direction. But there were times last season where Terrence Brooks looked out of position. Instances where he was easily beat by an offensive skill position player. I'm not saying that Cody Davis is going to come in and immediately fix that, but I think Davis brings a little bit more prowess on special teams and that may end up tipping the scales in his favor. As we sit here today on Monday, June 1st, 2020, I see Cody Davis taking the fifth and final slot here on the Patriots safety depth chart with Terrence Brooks just on the outside looking in. I say that in no way to disparage Terrence. I think he did a fine job last year. Again, the type of guy that gives you everything he can. But what he brought

to you last year in being Deron Harmon's primary backup will likely be shared by both Kyle Duggar and Adrian Phillips. Davis fills a niche, and that's why I believe he makes the roster this year. So there you have it, folks. My inside look at the Patriots' defensive backfield. Potential defensive backfield for 2020, that is. Don't forget, I'm not the one making the roster. And some of you are probably nodding your head and going, thank goodness for that. But one thing I think we can all agree on is that the Patriots having a wealth of talent

to choose from at both the cornerback and safety position is a complaint that most teams wish they had. I still believe that the Patriots' secondary will be an elite unit in 2020, and I cannot wait to watch this secondary take the field week after week in Foxborough. But even though we've talked about who might make this roster in 2020, which of the Patriots' newest draft choices has the best chance to be a significant contributor to the position which they play in the upcoming season.

Well, tomorrow, draft analyst Robert Marcello of Full Press Coverage will join me here on the hot seat, and we'll discuss his analysis of the Patriots' 2020 NFL draft. What were his surprises? Which players might be in jeopardy of not making the Patriots roster in 2020? And last but certainly not least, we'll talk about how each of the rookies fits into the positional depth chart for your 2020 New England Patriots. So if you cannot wait for this type of analysis, be sure not to miss tomorrow's episode. And be sure not to miss any episode of Locked On Patriots by following us on Spotify, subscribing

to us on Apple Podcasts. And don't forget, you can always listen to Locked On Patriots right on your very own smart device. How do you do so? Very simple. Just ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's episode, now tell your smart device to play the most recent episode of Locked On NFL.

Once again, I'm Mike DeBate, and I thank you all so much for listening today and for staying locked into Locked On Patriots. Stay safe, stay well, and have a great day, everyone.