Replacing someone like Devin McCourty will be no easy task for the 2023 New England Patriots, who already have a pretty lengthy “To Do” this offseason. Truth be told, there is no “replacing” someone of McCourty’s talent, class and stature, of course.
McCourty, who announced his retirement Friday afternoon, was a 13-year veteran who brought incredible talent, experience and leadership to the field, not to mention the innumerous intangibles he brought off the field. D-Mac, for a free/deep safety, did everything and did everything well for the Pats, and was relied on heavily by coach Bill Belichick and coordinators to lead his defenses for over a decade after switching from cornerback, his college position.
And yet he very well might be missed as much off the field as he will on the field, though he’s likely to remain in the area for his post-playing career. Still, his retirement leaves a clear and present need on the field at a position that is increasingly important in the modern NFL.
There are three obvious avenues by which the Pats could pursue their free safety of the future. Let’s take a quick look at each and which may be most viable for the team given cap, draft and current talent.
INTERNAL
The Patriots currently have two safeties signed on their roster: Adrian Phillips, who’s signed through the 2024 season, and Kyle Dugger, who’s on the last year of his rookie deal. Neither figures to be a McCourty replacement as they might be considered more strong safety, rather than a free or deep safety, though the safety role continues to evolve in the NFL.
Jabrill Peppers, who was coming back from ACL reconstruction and delivered some big hits in his one year in Foxboro, is a free agent, hopeful to return, yet still more of a line of scrimmage “in the box” safety. The best two internal candidates are Jalen Mills and another current free agent, Jonathan Jones.
Mills, signed in 2021 to a four-year, $24 million deal, was signed as more of a hybrid defensive back. Though he’s played predominantly cornerback with the Pats, he has experience at safety. His playing style and familiarity may make him the best candidate for the job, provided the Patriots sign, trade for or draft a corner to replace him.
Jones also has played predominantly corner for the Pats over his seven seasons in Foxboro, but he did play 18 snaps at safety in Super Bowl 53 for the team. Jones figure to have a good market in free agency, which begins this week, so his ability to slide in for McCourty is more about how the team views his on-field future, as well as his desires and price tag.
Myles Bryant, also a free agent, has experience all over the Patriots defensive backfield, but if we’re being fair, at this point it’s probably best for all parties to move along here.
FREE AGENCY
Much has been made of how the 2023 free agency class lacks elite talent at the skill positions, specifically receiver and running back. However, the safety position has available free agent depth and veteran talent, which could help the Patriots, who currently have a solid salary cap purse of over $30 million.
And while there are many needs the Patriots could pursue via free agency, like offensive tackle, cornerback and linebacker, add safety potentially to the list now, too. Some of the names include…
Jessie Bates of the Cincinnati Bengals, arguably the cream of the free agent safety crop. Bates played the 2022 season on the franchise tag for the Bengals and is looking to cash in this offseason, perhaps to the tune of $18 million per season. A price that high likely prices Bates out of the Pats’ neighborhood, unless Belichick desperately covets someone of his talent, strength and experience. Bates’ teammate Vonn Bell is also a FA for what it’s worth, though not the player Bates is and will continue to be.
Old friend Jordan Poyer of the Buffalo Bills is also an excellent free safety, part of one of the better safety tandems in the NFL the last few seasons alongside Micah Hyde. Poyer, a few years older than Bates, might be looking to cash in, and also in a tax-free state or so he’s said, likely looking for a three- or four-year deal in the $10 million per season neighborhood (nice homes there for sure!). Belichick is certainly familiar with Poyer, and hasn’t been shy about signing players he likes away from division foes, specifically Buffalo (anyone see the Stephon Gilmore deal coming years ago?).
Juan Thornhill out of Kansas City could be a value replacement for McCourty. Up and down over his first four seasons, the four-year veteran is a dependable back end player who played his best football down the stretch and through Super Bowl 57 for the Chiefs. He has eight career interceptions, leading one to wonder whether he played his best at the right time for a paycheck, or is now entering his prime with his best football ahead of him?
And one discount flier…anyone remember Eric Rowe? The former Patriot has played the last four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, spreading his talents all across the secondary at corner, strong and free safety. He’s certainly familiar with the team and scheme, and the team with him. So long as you can flush the memory of Alshon Jeffrey catching the first TD of Super Bowl 52 over Rowe out of your head, perhaps he becomes a high floor veteran stopgap measure while a drafted safety devops in New England.
NFL DRAFT
By all accounts the 2023 draft class at safety looks like a strong one. Leading the class is Brian Branch, out of this boutique upstart football program known as the University of Alabama, considered an elite defender who will likely be an impact player from Day One, which is the same round he’s expected to be drafted in.
Also out of Alabama, who could be available mid-Day Two of the draft, is Jordan Battle (great name!), also considered a plug-and-play pro who would fit in the Pats’ scheme. Other names to keep an eye on would be Texas A&M’s Antonio Johnson, Notre Dame’s Brandon Joseph, Illinois’ Sydney Brown and Georgia’s Christopher Brown.
Which of these avenues the Patriots pursue – we’re betting internal replacement immediately with a safety also drafted – will be quite interesting in the coming weeks. Again, nobody replaces McCourty the man and player, but this is yet another area of need, focus and interest for a team with many positional priorities this offseason, in a division seemingly getting tougher by the day.