New England Patriots: 6 most valuable players

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

3. Devin McCourty

McCourty became the Patriots’ most valuable player on the defensive side of the ball from the moment that Darrelle Revis departed this offseason. He is the leader of the defense, the longest-tenured Patriot in a secondary that is undergoing substantial change right now.

Losing McCourty to a serious injury would not only be costly, but unusual. The five-year veteran has only missed three starts in his career.

In addition to being durable, McCourty has proven versatility. According to ESPNBoston’s Mike Reiss, McCourty displayed that versatility in practice on Monday:

"Devin McCourty‘s value to the New England Patriots‘ defense has been well documented. As a rangy center-field type safety, he covers from sideline to sideline and also plays a major role in the communication between all defensive backs and front-seven defenders. In certain defensive packages, or in a specific gameplan like last year in Green Bay, he has shown that he is capable of moving back to cornerback, the position in which he began his NFL career. McCourty’s value and versatility represented one of the biggest takeaways from the team’s hot, humid Saturday practice."

You will not find a bigger McCourty fan than myself. In fact, I am a proud owner of McCourty’s No. 32 jersey. You’ll probably see more people sporting them this year now that McCourty is the MVP of the defense.

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