Tarell Brown signs with New England Patriots: re-ordering cornerback depth chart

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

6. Daxton Swanson

5. Robert McClain

4. Tarell Brown

You may remember Swanson as a standout from training camp last summer. He displayed top-notch ball skills, intercepting and breaking-up passes left and right. Those efforts landed him on the practice squad, and you can bet that Swanson has his sights set on a roster spot this year. Earlier this summer, I compared him to former Patriot Asante Samuel.

Swanson has been one of the most overlooked members of the Patriots’ cornerback group this offseason. It seems like everyone is writing off the New England secondary because of the losses suffered in free agency, but it should be noted that there are several upward tracking, lesser known players eagerly awaiting training camp to prove their worth, and Swanson is certainly one of those guys.

McClain is penciled-in at No. 5 here, but he doesn’t have much to worry about. The Pats were content letting Arrington walk during free agency because they knew that McClain would be up to the task of starting slot corner. He’s feisty, physical and experienced in the slot, and will almost certainly make the 53-man roster barring some sort of meltdown.

When Bill Belichick calls you one of the hardest workers on the team, you’re doing something right.

Newly signed Brown sits at No. 4 for the time being. He had a rough year in Oakland last season, but that happens to a lot of players. Maybe leaving the Bay Area (he spent seven years in San Fran before his one-year stint with the Raiders) will rejuvenate Brown’s career, as he hasn’t recorded an interception since 2012.

Brown may not be viewed as a sure-fire starter right now, but if he is able to rekindle his 2011 and 2012 in training camp, he will get plenty of looks as the No. 2 or possibly even No. 1 corner for the Pats.

Next: Fletcher, Butler and Ryan