In an offseason full of change, the New England Patriots left the cornerback group untouched. The quartet of Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones and J.C Jackson was a serious force during the 2019 campaign and proved to be the team’s strongest position, which should be the same for the 2020 season. While Gilmore and McCourty almost always take on opposing offenses’ outside receivers, Jones and Jackson typically act as nickel and slot corners.
In the first two games of last season, Gilmore, McCourty, Jones, and Jackson were targeted a combined 39 times, allowed 12 catches, broke up nine, and intercepted one, per Jeff Howe of the Athletic. Gilmore finished the year with a league leading six interceptions and 20 deflected passes. He also won the Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming only the fourth defensive back to win it in the past 20 seasons. Jackson had five interceptions and allowed the lowest passing rating of any corner in the league when being targeted with a 37.0 rating. Gilmore ranked fourth with a rating of 47.4, according to Pro Football Focus.
Who starts? Stephon Gilmore, JC Jackson and Jonathan Jones
Who makes the roster? Gilmore, Jackson, Jones, Jason McCourty, Joejuan Williams,
Who’s right on the bubble? N/A
Who’s a long shot? Myles Bryant, Lenzy Pipkins, D’Angelo Ross
McCourty, who turns 33 in August, had trouble staying on the field in 2019, as he missed four games and the lone playoff game against the Titans. However, McCourty executed one the best defensive plays in Super Bowl LIII when he swatted away what would have been a go-ahead touchdown from Rams quarterback Jared Goff to Brandin Cooks late in the third quarter.
Jones is a former undrafted free agent who signed a four-year extension in September last year worth $24 million. He’s become the team’s best nickel corner after beating out Cyrus Jones and Eric Rowe in past years. Nickel corners are typically tasked with covering inside receivers and stopping the run as well.
Last season, the Patriots played man-to-man coverage in 54 percent of all their defensive snaps, per Sports Info Solutions, which led the league, tying the Lions. It marked the third year in a row the Patriots led the league in that category.
“The burden of performing in what is primarily a man-coverage scheme has placed a premium on sound technique, which has allowed all three defenders to perform individually with no help in coverage,” Solomon Wilcots of Pro Football Focus wrote. “Last season, all three players earned a man-coverage grade that ranked in the top 25 among players at the position.”
On top of the core four corners, the team also has four other players that are currently listed on the depth chart. Likely returning to the team is special teams standout Justin Bethel, who is listed as the team’s fifth corner. The 2019 undrafted rookies Myles Bryant, who offered impressive playmaking skills during his time at Washington and D’Angelo Ross are likely candidates for a spot on the practice squad. The same goes for Lenzy Pipkins, who was last with the Browns practice squad in 2018.
The team’s success at the cornerback position last season not only came from the incredible individual play from the players at the position, but also the collaboration from safeties Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, and Terrence Brooks. While the team didn’t draft any corners in April, they did draft safety Kyle Dugger in the second round, as well as pick up safety Adrian Phillips in free agency after trading Harmon to the Lions. That group is enormously important to help highlight this talented cornerback crop. Because there’s even more talent at the safety position, there’s reason to believe the cornerback play will stay at a high level.
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