Buffalo Bills: Ranking the cornerbacks of the AFC East
By Rob Spehar
1) New England Patriots
Projected Starters: Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, J.C. Jackson
The defense for the New England Patriots was the class of the AFC last season and their stats can support the argument. They were second in the league in passing yards allowed with 2,886, and first in the league allowing only 13 passing touchdowns and first in the league with a whopping 25 interceptions.
Much of the success can be attributed to the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore. He had a career year racking up 49 tackles, 20 passes defended, a fumble recovery, and six interceptions with two of those returned for touchdowns. What makes Gilmore great at what he does is his ability to breakdown how his opposing receiver will play and make the proper adjustments as the game goes on. What also helps is his deep supporting cast.
Even though there has been some key departures on the roster, what will remain the same is the secondary. Helping Gilmore will be Jason McCourty and J.C. Jackson. McCourty is returning for his 12th season and third with the Patriots but with his years of experience, the injuries continue to pile up. He had an up and down 2019 season but with the young guys on this roster stepping up, his leadership is highly valued.
J.C. Jackson had a very good year reeling in five interceptions after only starting six games. If he can continue what he did last season, he can pretty much cement himself as the number two corner behind Gilmore. Jonathan Jones is another value player who is seen as a reliable option as a slot corner who started 15 of 16 games.
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The list of cornerbacks on this roster runs deep. Yes, Gilmore is the superstar, but this is a group that boasts veteran leadership and a lot of young talent that will have the Patriots in contention in 2020 even with Tom Brady no longer in town.