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New England Patriots: Logan Ryan Ranked as Top 50 Free Agent

By Nick Ziegler

Dec 18, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan (26) celebrates with defensive back Eric Rowe (25) after a play in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan (26) celebrates with defensive back Eric Rowe (25) after a play in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Pro Football Focus recently released their Top 50 free agents of 2017. Where did New England Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan rank?

It was a really strong season for the New England Patriots’ secondary in 2016. While they do have stars like Malcolm Butler and Devin McCourty, there were other players who really stepped up.

One of the players that really played well in 2016 was cornerback Logan Ryan. In his fourth season with the Patriots, Ryan totaled two interceptions and 11 passes defended. While Ryan does a good job in coverage, he is one of the best cornerbacks in the league at defending the run.

Most cornerbacks want nothing to do with tackling, however, Ryan is not one of those players. Last season, Ryan totaled 74 tackles, which is a huge number for a cornerback. Ryan might not be a No.1 cornerback, but he has proven to be a solid player at the position. Due to the NFL being a pass-happy league, a good cornerback has become extremely valuable.

Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus recently ranked the Top 50 free agents in the NFL. Ryan was one of the Patriots listed, as he was ranked 26th. Here’s what Monson had to say about Ryan.

"At this point on the list, the search for a No. 1 corner is over, but teams can still find capable starters, and Logan Ryan is one of those. He can be exposed at times, especially against smaller, quicker receivers, but he is a solid and reliable player and is more active in the run game than many players at the position. Ryan could be a very nice fit in the correct scheme but isn’t right for every team."

The Patriots have a ton of free agents on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. However, Ryan proved to be valuable for them this season. Even though Butler was the lockdown corner for the Patriots, Ryan would sometimes cover top wide receivers if they were too big for Butler.

Next: 5 Reasons Why Pats Can Repeat

Ryan is one of the players that could end up leaving the Patriots as one of the top cornerbacks on the market. However, the Patriots might end up opening their wallets for Ryan because of the struggles of rookie Cyrus Jones in 2016.

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