New England Patriots most intriguing training camp battles: Cornerbacks
For the New England Patriots to reclaim the AFC East in 2022, their secondary will have to survive a gauntlet of talented wide receivers.
The Buffalo Bills have Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, and Jamison Crowder. The Miami Dolphins have Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. The New York Jets have a talented young duo of Elijah Moore and Garrett Wilson.
The Patriots will have to slow them down without former Pro Bowlers Stephon Gilmore (mid-season trade) and J.C .Jackson (free agent departure). Well, at least New England only has to cover DeVante Parker in practice and not in games.
The New England Patriots cornerbacks will need to be great in 2022
How well New England defends the pass will go a long way in determining how good the defense can be in 2022. With three mobile quarterbacks in the division, and others on the schedule, the corners will have to be able to cover their assignments, especially when plays are extended.
New England will try to do that with at least one new face. They drafted two corners and added two more via free agency. How well they perform will determine if the Patriots play more zone or man. If they can’t perform well on an island (man), Belichick will send a S.O.S. (zone). Belichick will likely assemble a seven-man pigskin patrol. They will have their work cut out for them in 2022:
New England Patriots: No offensive or defensive coordinator a shocking risk. light. More
Participants
Malcolm Butler, Jalen Mills, Jack Jones, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Shaun Wade, Marcus Jones, Joejuan Williams, Terrance Mitchell
Capsules (in alphabetical order)
Malcolm Butler – The Super Bowl XLIX hero is back for a second tour with the Patriots. Butler has a lot to prove. Can he get back to his Pro Bowl level after taking a year off? Or is he going to be the mediocre 2017 version that was benched in Super Bowl LII?
Myles Bryant – The UDFA has a place in Patriots lore for defending a fourth down pass against the Bills in Week 13 to seal a win last season. A moment is nice, but Bryant wants to add to his New England legacy. At 5-9, he projects as a slot corner. He’s facing a tough fight, if that’s the case.
Jack Jones – Similar to J.C. Jackson, Jones got into trouble while in college. He was dismissed from USC and was arrested. That likely affected his stock, causing Jones to fall in the NFL Draft. Jones got a lot of burn during OTAs. That could mean he’s more advanced than expected.
Jonathan Jones – It will be a welcomed sight to see number 31 back in the lineup. His season was cut short by a shoulder injury and he will start training camp on the PUP list. He should be the favorite for manning the slot corner position out of the gate. He’s the third ranked slot corner in the league by Pro Football Focus.
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Marcus Jones – Jones could play a lot in 2022. Just not much in the secondary. He was an elite returner for Houston in college and should be in the competition for that role in New England. The competitive Jones won’t settle for just being a kickoff/punt returner, though.
Jalen Mills – New England’s Green Goblin is back to harass receivers. When Jackson moved up to the top corner role, Mills stepped in as the other starter and was solid. He’s a favorite to start again, but will he stay on the right side or move to the left?
Terrance Mitchell – An NFL journeyman, the Patriots will be Mitchell’s sixth team in six seasons. He adds depth and experience to a unit that got younger quickly. It’s possible his leadership might be worth more than what he does on the field.
Shaun Wade – Wade was an outstanding slot corner his first year with Ohio State, but wasn’t nearly as good on the boundary the following year. So what will Wade be as a pro? He has ideal size for the outside (6-1, 191).
JoeJuan Williams – Williams is on the cusp of becoming the latest New England Patriots second round cornerback bust. He’s yet to earn regular playing time and now has two rookies nipping at his heels.
Next. Patriots top camp battles - 1. linebackers. dark
Roster
Mills, Butler, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Wade, Bryant
Cut
Williams, Mitchell