Tag Archives: Richard Sherman

Rounds 1-3: Scouting Reports on Patriots Picks

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Let’s dive right into the Patriots first four picks in a draft that they absolutely nailed. Stay on the lookout for breakdowns of the later rounds and the UDFAs.

32. N’KEAL HARRY, WR 

ARIZONA STATE

The Patriots pleasantly surprised on Thursday night. They not only drafted a receiver in the first round, but one of N’Keal Harry’s caliber. The evaluation of the wide receiver class this year was at times murky waters of sorts. Many passionate film buffs, scouts, and analysts had N’Keal Harry fluctuating from the fourth best receiver in this class to the first. After watching a ton of film on this kid, all signs point to Harry being much closer to that number one spot to that number four.

What he does right:

-Contested ball catcher, reminds of a DeAndre Hopkins in that regard. 

-Big-bodied, yet moves at a pretty good speed for his size

-Very smart, faired really well during Patriots visit with playbook retention 

-Understands how to use his body to make catches

-Will play some outside receiver, could also play a good deal of slot at the next level

-Very solid catch radius 

-Makes catches look easier than they really are

-Good jump off the ball 

-Like a Marshawn Lynch or Gronk once he has the ball, very hard to tackle, YAC monster

-Can be a redzone monster at a Pro level, will help replace that redzone presence of Gronk 

Some nuances in his game: 

-Not polished route runner

-Sometimes struggles with press off the line of scrimmage 

-Occasionally struggles with focus in his game

-Not overly explosive or necessarily athletic 

-May struggle to separate 

-Not the greatest blocker in the world

Pro comparison: Dez Bryant

Instant impact: 3rd receiver on depth chart, gets utilized in LaFell role 

Grade: A+

45. JOEJUAN WILLIAMS, CB

VANDERBILT 

Oh boy, did some people get mad over this pick or what? I have never seen so many fans get angry over a great pick. Besides maybe the picks after that, like Damien Harris, Yondy Cajuste, Hjalte Froholdt, and Jake Bailey. If Belichick had a nickel for every Patriots fan that said, “What is he doing? WE NEED A TIGHT END!”, Bill would probably be dining at an expensive restaurant on that money alone. Joejuan Williams is a corner who Belichick loved coming into the draft. He is a tall, bigger corner who excels at pressing receivers and covering bigger targets. Williams brings the Patriots size at the corner position that they really have not had since Brandon Browner. 

What he does right:

-Great physical traits 

-Great mental processing and awareness

-Watches a boat load of film

-Tremendous press corner 

-Described by many as “disruptive” to receivers 

-Has shown ability to come up and play the run

-Appears to have a really good understanding of coverage schemes

-Very, very good play recognition

-Extremely physical

-Solid tackler

-Faired really well against A.J Brown, DaMarkus Lodge, and Riley Rildey, who all were solid receivers in this year’s draft class

Some nuances in his game: 

-Fluidity 

-Technique at line of scrimmage must improve drastically 

-Not a world-class athlete

-Not a big playmaker 

-Struggles against shiftier receivers, Patriots would not match him up against Antonio Brown

-Inconsistency in his game

Pro comparison: Richard Sherman

Instant impact: 3rd corner on depth chart, battles with bigger targets, get utilized in Browner role 

Grade: A-

77. CHASE WINOVICH, EDGE 

MICHIGAN 

While he is undersized, Chase will play much like a Rob Ninkovich or Mike Vrabel. Winovich is an exciting pick for two reasons. 

1. He was an early second round pick in most people’s eyes. Sometimes even a late first. 

2. He helps replace some of the wackiness we lost when Gronk retired. Better hope Gronk does not come back because a nuclear war might erupt in that locker room. How crazy is he? He ate a live fish for a $20 bill.

Chase will play both defensive end and outside linebacker. This will give the linebacking core some more flexibility and the defensive line an edge rusher that does not quit. 

What he does right:

-Nice hand usage 

-Very measured and strategic, has a game plan every play on how to attack the quarterback

-Unreal amount of effort, will benefit that defense immensely 

-Really high floor

-Good run defender 

-High motor, full of energy 

-Toughness

-His heart, toughness, and effort could translate well to kick coverage or punt coverage teams as well 

-Loves football, wants to learn from veterans 

-Brings lots of versatility 

-Great execution 

-Smart football player

-Recognizes blocking schemes very well

-Extremely physical 

Some nuances in his game:

-Not the greatest athlete in the world

-Does not have too many pass rush moves in his tool belt

-Low ceiling 

-Undersized for defensive end, not athletic enough to play outside linebacker

-Will struggle in some matchups at the next level

-Not exactly explosive 

-Can be kind of slow off the ball 

-Hips not very fluid, not bendy

-Not a speed-counter type of rusher

-Range

-Change of direction 

Pro comparison: Clay Matthews 

Instant impact: Rotational defensive end, majority of snaps on first/second down, Ninkovich role

Grade: B+

87. DAMIEN HARRIS, RB

ALABAMA 

Damien Harris will be a beast behind this offensive line, sharing carries with Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead. Runningback was also a need for the Patriots in this draft class. The need not in an immediate sense, but more for down the road. Rex Burkhead and Sony Michel have struggled to stay healthy in their respective careers, and James White and Rex Burkhead’s contracts climb to higher cap numbers next season, then expire in 2021. I personally expected Belichick to go runningback at some point in this draft class, but not this early. However, I personally am glad that Belichick grabbed Damien Harris. Damien will be a beast in the run game and can contribute on special teams. Patriots now have a four-headed monster in the backfield.

What he does right:

-Played both gap and zone run schemes at Alabama 

-Win first mentality 

-Big-bodied

-Excellent vision 

-Very explosive 

-Finds open space in defense with ease 

-Very balanced and solid

-Can be bell cow type of back, although it is unlikely he is utilized like this in New England’s system

-One cut 

-Demonstrates good patience 

-Runs really hard, runs through defenders 

-Will not lose yards to gain yards, north-south runner

-Measured, collected, and controlled runner

Some nuances in his game:

-Change of direction is his kryptonite 

-Instinct and creativity is shaky at times 

-Slightly below average burst 

-Lacks elusive traits 

-Will get caught from behind because of lack of burst

-Hand technique is spotty

Pro comparison: Corey Clement 

Instant impact: Rotational back, short-yardage back, will fight Burkhead for carries

Grade: A-

Jason McCourty: Just What the New England Patriots Needed

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So far, free agency has been a complete and utter frenzy for the New England Patriots. After losing Super Bowl LI, everyone in Patriots Nation wanted New England to get a big name cornerback. When that fell didn’t happen, hot takes were everywhere. Belichick was asleep at the wheel, and the 2018 Patriots defense was already a failure. However, the Patriots acquired longtime cornerback Jason McCourty from the Cleveland Browns, and he is just what the Patriots need.

Jason McCourty is Just What the New England Patriots Need

What the Patriots Need

With the departure of Malcolm Butler, there was no denying the Patriots needed to look into acquiring a cornerback to start opposite Stephon Gilmore. However, that need was a little overblown among Patriots fans due to how ugly the Super Bowl was. Yes, Eric Rowe struggled against Philadelphia Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery, but once he switched off him he had a really good game.

The front seven and poor coaching decisions were the main reasons the defense played so poorly, so signing a top-tier cornerback wasn’t a necessity. If New England could get players to fix their front seven, then a typical number two cornerback would easily suffice in the secondary.

What Jason McCourty Brings

He’s not a superstar along the lines of Aqib Talib or Richard Sherman, but McCourty is still a quality starting NFL cornerback. Initially selected as a sixth-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft, McCourty has carved out a nine-year NFL career as a defensive back.

While the Cleveland Browns were terrible in 2017, McCourty was not. He had moments where he looked like a true number one cornerback, and finished the year as the 27th ranked cornerback in the league, per Pro Football Focus. By comparison, Malcolm Butler finished the year ranked 51st among cornerback. If McCourty can have a similar 2018, the Patriots should have one of the better cornerback duos in football.

Additionally, McCourty’s style of play is a perfect fit for the New England Patriots. McCourty is at his best when he’s playing press coverage, which perfectly aligns with what Gilmore excels at. When Gilmore and McCourty, the Patriots can run tough, physical man coverages and don’t have to worry about the corners getting beat off the line.

Lastly, McCourty does the little things well. Just like his twin brother and teammate, Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty is a great tackler. He’s not afraid to play the run, lower his shoulder and do the dirty work. Some cornerbacks shy away from making tackles, but McCourty is not one of them. Nobody values fundamentals more than Bill Belichick, which just gives McCourty more value on the Patriots.

Money Talks

While it would have been great to see Sherman, Talib, or Trumaine Johnson in a Patriots uniform, it would have taken a lot of money to make that happen. Per @patscap, The Patriots currently only have a bit over $21 million in cap space. Signing any one of those players would have taken up a sizable portion of that cap space.

Instead, the Patriots got the significantly cheaper option of Jason McCourty. McCourty only has a $3.6 million dollar cap hit in 2018. This minimal hit on the salary cap means that the Patriots got a good player without sacrificing roster depth.

Additionally, it cost nothing to get McCourty. The Patriots swapped their late sixth-round pick for the Browns early seventh. That small drop in draft positioning makes it such that the Patriots got McCourty essentially for free.

Had they signed a free agent, this would not be the case. Currently, New England will probably receive two third round compensation picks and an additional sixth rounder for the departures of Solder, Butler, and Lewis. If the Patriots had signed a free agent cornerback, that would affect their compensatory pick formula.

Obviously, there’s no way to know how much a free agent cornerback would have affected New England’s compensation picks, but now there’s no need to worry about that. Free agent signings are the only factors that play into the compensation formula. Since McCourty was acquired via trade, he has no effect on how the compensation picks are determined.

 

Cover image courtesy of NBC Sports.

Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib Were Luxuries, Not Necessities

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It’s no secret that the New England Patriots need a second cornerback in free agency, and it looked like two perfect targets could fall into their lap. Longtime stars Aqib Talib and Richard Sherman were both available, yet the Patriots couldn’t acquire either. While having one of those two on the team certainly would have made the team better, it’s not the end of the world that the Patriots didn’t get them. Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib were luxuries, not necessities, and the 2018 Patriots can build a great defense without them.

Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib Were Luxuries, Not Necessities

Where the Secondary Currently Stands

Image result for stephon gilmore

The secondary has some pretty good talent in it

Image credit: CBS Sports

The second cornerback position is in something of a flux, but the rest of the starting secondary is in great shape. Stephon Gilmore proved to be one of the best free agent signings in recent Patriot history, and Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung are among the best at their position. Add in Duron Harmon coming off the bench, and New England should boast one of the better secondaries in football, regardless of who lines up opposite Gilmore.

With that in mind, the Patriots don’t need a superstar at the second corner position. Should they choose to spend big, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson is the best guy on the market. He’s younger than both Talib and Sherman, and is roughly the same caliber of player.

However, the Patriots will likely go the cheaper route, which means they’ll probably target players like Jacksonville’s Aaron Colvin or Indianapolis’s Rashaan Melvin. Colvin was mostly utilized as a slot corner because he was buried behind the best cornerback duo in football, but he’s performed well when he’s been called upon. Despite his bad 2015 cameo with the Patriots, Melvin actually has two good years of film from 2016 and 2017 with the Indianapolis Colts. His market seems small, so he could be a good buy low option for New England.

More Pressing Defensive Needs

Image result for dont'a hightower

Dont’a Hightower’s return will help the defense, but it won’t fix every issue

Image credit: CBS Boston

It’s no secret that the defense wasn’t great last season. While it wasn’t as bad as the Super Bowl made it look, it was one of the weaker Patriots defenses in recent years. This was due primarily to the front seven.

New England’s front seven struggled getting to the quarterback. They finished the year ranked seventh in sacks, but most of that was due to the coverage from the secondary. The Patriots had one of the worst average sack times in football, and they didn’t possess enough pass rushing options. Opposing teams typically focused on taking away Trey Flowers, and nobody else could step up. Losing star linebacker Dont’a Hightower hurt too.

The Patriots only have so much cap space and resources, so this is where the main focus should be. There are several good fits on the market, and it would be a surprise if New England didn’t invest a high draft pick into a linebacker and/or an edge defender. They’ve already solved the interior run problem by trading for Danny Shelton, but he won’t help the pass rush.

If New England can find one or two players capable of getting to the quarterback, it won’t matter who the second cornerback is. Think back the Seattle Seahawks’ famous “Legion of Boom” from 2013. They had a star linebacker, a ferocious pass rush, and three superstars in the secondary. The second cornerback, Byron Maxwell, wasn’t anything special, but he didn’t have to be because the rest of the unit was so good. The 2018 Patriots defense won’t be as good as that generational unit, but they’re built similarly.

The Biggest Necessity

Yes, the front seven needs help, but there isn’t one specific player that can fix that. Several key players like Dont’a Hightower and Derek Rivers are returning from injury, and New England has a series of high draft picks to use. Their biggest priority isn’t even on the defensive side.

Longtime left tackle Nate Solder is hitting free agency, and the Patriots cannot allow to let him go. Solder is one of the 10-15 best left tackles in the league, and has been paramount to keeping Brady healthy these last few seasons. With the quarterback now 41, Solder has never been more valuable.

The market behind Solder is abysmal. Solder’s the only starting caliber tackle available in both free agency and the draft. This makes for a great situation for Solder, but a bad one for New England.

Solder is likely to receive offers for more than what he’s probably worth. He’s going to get paid like a top-five tackle, even though he’s not quite that type of player. New England has to match those offers. Yes, they would be overpaying, but the cost of letting him go is just too high. If it means the Patriots can’t afford Johnson or Bills linebacker Preston Brown, then so be it.

Everybody asking for Belichick’s head for missing out on Sherman and Talib need to calm down. Both players would have helped for the right price, but neither one was a necessity. The biggest issues for the Patriots right now are re-signing Solder and fixing the front seven. Belichick has already started to fix the run defense with the Shelton trade, and free agency hasn’t even started yet. We’re a long way from Week One, and there’s still plenty of time to build a roster.

 

Cover Image Credit: CBS Sports

Richard Sherman or Aqib Talib?

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The Tales of the Cornerbacks

NBC Sports

The Patriots will head into the 2018 offseason with defensive problems, like we clearly saw in the Super Bowl. The Patriots have a clear problem on defense and they really need a top corner to fill the hole they have. With Malcolm Butler on his way out the door, we now can see that the hole at the corner back position is huge. There are two names that are free agents that could be a perfect fit to fill that position. Aqib Talib and Richard Sherman. One of those two guys could be just the player they need at defense to win another Super Bowl.

Bring Back Talib

FOXBORO, MA – NOVEMBER 18: Aqib Talib #31 of the New England Patriots watches from the sideline against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half at Gillette Stadium on November 18, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

First, Talib has two years left on his contract worth $11 million this year and $8 million in 2019. Talib would rather play with Tom Brady and the Patriots like he did during the 2012-2013 season. Talib is a five time Pro-Bowler and one time Super Bowl Champ with the Denver Broncos. In his two years with the Patriots ,Talib played in 19 games and started 18 of them. He had five interceptions 71 yards and one touchdown. He also recorded 51 tackles during his time with the Patriots. Aqib Talib’s mindset is to win what better way to win than with the Patriots.

Richard Sherman in a Patriots Uniform

Via Clutch Points

Second, Richard Sherman with the Seattle Seahawks holds the coaching staff accountable still after the Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Sherman is a four time Pro bowler and a one time Super Bowl champ. He had 32 interceptions with the Seahawks and 395 yards. Sherman had two touchdowns and got 286 tackles with his time with the Seahawks. The Patriots are famous for bringing in toxic players for the short term. Examples include Cory Dillion and Randy Moss, but they held on to him too long. If they let Moss go after 2008 they would’ve been fine.

I’d personally would take Aqib Talib back since he is use to the Patriots system. Sherman has a bigger mouth and more problems with Tom Brady as saying “you mad bro?” With Talib joining the Rams that leaves Sherman to the Patriots.