Playing time in the secondary will be difficult for young New England Patriots this season.
The team has top-tier defensive backs and it’s the most solidified group on paper. Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty lead the cornerbacks, while Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung have command of the safeties. J.C. Jackson and Jonathan Jones are next up at cornerback, leaving little room for second-year Joejuan Williams to thrive.
The second-round pick is 6-foot-3, 212 pounds and still has value he can provide to the team. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, that value could expand into a role at safety — while still playing snaps at cornerback.
Here’s what Reiss said.
After playing 82 defensive snaps as a rookie, in part thanks to a well-stocked cornerback depth chart headlined by Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, a challenge has been presented to Williams this offseason. Essentially, according to those close to the situation, it can be boiled down to this: Can you be the jack-of-all-trades in the secondary?
It might be cornerback. It might be safety. Depending on the game plan and injury situation that week, it might be a little bit of both.
The Patriots will have an entirely new identity this season and defense will be especially important. The team doesn’t have Tom Brady to carry the offense and ultimately, the entire squad along. Because of the skilled secondary, it’s likely the group will hold a lot of weight in 2020.
Williams’ height at safety will give him the advantage in jump ball situations and against tight ends. Devin McCourty made the change from cornerback to safety and it worked out pretty well for him. If anyone can help a player make this transition — it’s Bill Belichick.
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