All-time Bill Belichick Patriots team: Cornerback

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Photo credit Erza Shaw/USA Today Sports
Leading up to Patriots training camp at the end of July we’re unveiling our all-time Bill Belichick Patriots team with a new position coming out almost every day. Today, it’s cornerback (2). Click here for the complete series so far.

Ty Law

Law was a star before Bill Belichick got to New England, but he took it to a new level in his years with Belichick as his coach, which included three Super Bowl titles. Perhaps Law's biggest play as a Patriot came in Super Bowl XXXVI when he intercepted a Kurt Warner pass and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown for the first points of the game.

For his career, Law was a five-time Pro Bowl player and was a first-team All-Pro twice. In his 10 years with the Patriots, Law recorded 36 interceptions.

Law was released in 2005 due to his over $12 million cap hit and then played the final five years of his career with the Jets, Chiefs and Broncos, but he's most remembered for his years as a Patriot.

“A great player," Belichick said in 2017. "Really no weaknesses in Ty [Law]’s game. Strong, physical tackler, jam receivers, good coverage player, great hands, interceptor. I really enjoyed coaching him in 1996 as the position coach and just spending a lot of individual time with him as his coach. We had a good group that year – Lawyer [Milloy], and Otis [Smith] … and Scooter [Mike McGruder] and those guys. But it was good. He’s a good player.”

Asante Samuel

Samuel was drafted by the team in the fourth round of the 2003 draft and because of injuries became a starter, even starting in Super Bowl XXXIX. He was with the Patriots from 2003-07 and won two Super Bowls. While most of his individual accolades (three of four Pro Bowls) came after New England, he was an outstanding corner who had a nose for the ball -- perhaps the best pure cover corner in the Belichick era.

His best season came in 2006 when he led the league with 10 interceptions. In his five years with the Patriots he recorded a total of 22 picks.

After some tension between he and the team, Samuel signed with the Eagles as a free agent in 2008 and played four seasons there until going to Atlanta for the final two years of his career.

Malcolm Butler got some consideration for the second spot, but Samuel was certainly a much better all-around player.

Honorable Mention: Malcolm Butler

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