New England Patriots Wisely Sign CB Derek Cox
On Monday afternoon, the New England Patriots announced their signing of veteran cornerback Derek Cox. After the release of Brandon Spikes this morning, a roster spot become available. The Patriots were smart to fill that void with a cornerback that will bolster the depth chart.
For more on the release of Spikes, click here.
Drafted in the third round back in 2009 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cox has racked up 241 combined tackles, 13 picks and 39 passes defended in his career. In three of his four seasons with the Jaguars, Cox recorded four interceptions and put himself on the map as a solid starting NFL cornerback.
But a rough 2013 season in San Diego led to Cox’s release in the following offseason, and he’s since bounced around the NFL. He spent last summer in Minnesota and then in Baltimore before sitting on the couch for the entirety of 2014.
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At 6-foot-1, however, Cox is now the tallest member of the Patriots’ cornerback group. That fact alone puts him in contention for a roster spot.
Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, Robert McClain and Bradley Fletcher should have the upper hand on Cox in terms of starting spots, so the journeyman corner will be up against the likes of Daxton Swanson, Darryl Roberts and a few undrafted rookies like Jimmy Jean and Eric Patterson to make the team.
You may remember a trade in the 2009 NFL Draft between New England and Jacksonville in which the Pats handed their third-round pick to the Jags, who drafted Cox. In return, the Patriots received a seventh round pick in that draft, which they used to select some guy named Julian Edelman, and a 2010 second-rounder, which they used to select some guy named Rob Gronkowski. With Cox on the roster, it’s safe to say the Patriots won that trade entirely.
The signing of Cox is in line with the quantity over quality approach the Patriots have taken to the cornerback position this offseason. That being said, adding a reputable veteran such as Cox who brings size to the cornerback depth chart is not a bad thing.
At the end of the day, the Patriots are better off with Cox on the roster than the oft-troubled Spikes. Good move.