There has been little pomp and circumstance surrounding the New England Patriots safeties this off-season and for good reason. The safety position was locked up and dialed in before free agency and the draft chaos even began. Here is how the New England Patriots safety depth chart will shake out for the 2018 season.
Stasis Is the Status Quo for Patriots Safeties
Chart-Toppers
The Patriots have solutions at safety, and there was no need to shake things up. Devin McCourty has been with the team since he was drafted in 2010 and has proven himself a capable starting NFL safety since transitioning from cornerback in 2012. McCourty is a lock for the starting free safety in 2018. He will share the starting duties with strong safety Patrick Chung, whose contributions to the defensive backfield have been invaluable in recent years. The safety duo led the 2017 Patriots in tackles, collecting 97 and 84 total tackles, respectively.
Also in the mix for a starting position will be Duron Harmon. Harmon proved his worth as a defensive back with a strong defensive presence against the pass in 2018. His four interceptions led the team, and his seven passes defended trailed only Chung among the team’s safeties.
Rotational Backs & Special Teamers
Jordan Richards will serve as the backup strong safety and Chung’s understudy over the course of the next season. Richards’ statistics from last season do not jump off the page by any means, but Belichick loves his versatility. In last season’s opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Richards was moved into more of a linebacker role to little positive effect. When Nate Ebner was injured in a late-season game against the Miami Dolphins, Richards stepped up on special teams as a personal punt protector. He is a versatile, flexible player willing to play the roles Bill Belichick cooks up for him.
Ebner and Brandon King headline the significant special team contributors that also serve as reserve safeties for the Patriots. In terms of the safeties depth chart, Ebner and King are likely a dead heat behind Richards. Neither had much impact on defense during the regular season last year. Each player only tallied 8 tackles apiece, most of which came on special teams.
Camp and Competition Fodder
The Patriots signed a number of undrafted free agents to round out the 90-man roster, but they mostly aim to disappoint. As illustrated by Richards, Ebner, and King, most reserve defensive backs need to be special teams contributors if they hope to remain on the 53-man roster.
A.J. Moore was not the worst defensive back at Ole Miss, but his competition keeps him off the table even as a developmental talent for the time being. J.C. Jackson played corner at Maryland, but he could see some time competing at safety during camp. Jackson’s speed and size should have made him a late-round draft pick, but off-field issues led the Patriots to draft Keion Crossen as a defensive back instead. Crossen is a freak athlete and has potential to make the Patriots 53-man roster. He’s a raw prospect and he’ll need time to develop, so the practice squad would probably be best for him.
Damarius Travis is also on the safety depth chart, but his role remains a mystery. Travis has bounced between the Patriots practice squad and unemployment, which makes his chances to appear as a member of the team come late August suspect.
Check out Last Word on Pro Football’s projections for the rest of the New England Patriots defensive back depth chart here.
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