Resetting Patriots' depth chart at corner after Butler's season comes to an end
FOXBORO -- Malcolm Butler's second stint in New England is over before it really got a chance to start, with the cornerback being placed on season-ending IR on Tuesday. It ends what would have been a great feel-good story in New England.
But as one door closes, another one opens for the Patriots. A couple of doors, actually.
Both Butler and third-year defensive back Joejuan Williams landed on IR on Tuesday, leading to a bit of a shuffle on the New England depth chart at corner. Williams was in serious jeopardy of being cut, but Butler still figured to be part of the mix. Considering he played in last week's preseason opener -- while most of the perceived starters sat out -- it's safe to assume that the veteran was heading toward a reserve role in the secondary.
That role is now up for grabs for anyone who wants to pluck it out of the air. And a couple of younger options have been doing just that throughout camp.
But first, we'll look take the top off the depth chart at corner. Jalen Mills appears poised to be New England's No. 1 corner -- even if Bill Belichick isn't one for such rankings -- and he continues to impress in training camp. He dominated Tuesday's joint practice with the Panthers, highlighted by a goal-line breakup during a two-minute drill.
After years of solid play in the slot, Jonathan Jones has moved from the inside to the outside and is likely to be Mills' running mate on the other side of the field. Veteran Terrance Mitchell, who forced a fumble with a nice punch out last week against the Giants, will provide depth behind the two starters. Myles Bryant could slide into the starting slot corner in place of Jones, in addition to his contributions on special teams.
But there's a rookie on the roster who could beat him out for the role. Hint: His name is Jones, but it's not the Jones we're used to seeing play in the slot. That would be rookie Marcus Jones, who has made some flashy plays throughout camp. Marcus has been earning first-team reps this summer, which makes him a strong candidate to earn the job as New England's starting slot corner.
He continued his strong play at Wednesday's joint practice with Carolina.
Marcus Jones is not to be confused with Jack Jones -- who is not to be confused with the other J. Jones on the team -- another rookie corner that Bill Belichick added to the mix in the draft. With Butler and Williams no longer around, Jack Jones will now be an important depth piece that could rise up the chart throughout the season, though he seems to need a little more seasoning than Marcus.
However it shakes out, it's a safe bet that someone named Jones (or a couple of someones named Jones) will be playing an important role in the New England secondary. And just to make things even more interesting, Shaun Wade had also put together some impressive days at camp, fully inserting himself in the battle for the final spot or two on the depth chart.
There is still a lot to sort out with New England's cornerbacks. We really don't know if the unit will be very good, with several players being elevated to spots they've never occupied in the past. But while losing Butler robs us of a Hallmark-style storyline, it makes the battle on the cornerback depth chart much more interesting with the regular season just a few weeks away.
