3 defensive MVPs for the Patriots after first half of season

1. Devin McCourty

Over the past 10 years, Bill Belichick has used nine different picks in the first three rounds of the NFL draft on players for his secondary. Of those nine picks, only two players still remain on New England’s current roster: 2013 third-round safety Duron Harmon and 2010 first-round safety Devin McCourty.

Of course, back then McCourty was still playing cornerback. He didn’t make the move to free safety until over halfway into his third season with the Pats, but ever since then, he’s become one of the most reliable and dependable players patrolling the back-end of Belichick’s defense. In a career that now spans a full decade, McCourty has missed just five regular season games.

There was some speculation during last season’s playoff run that No. 32 was close to calling it quits. As retirement rumors swirled around more prominent Patriots figures like Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady, and Bill Belichick, it was Devin McCourty who shocked the football world on Super Bowl Opening Night by casually suggesting the championship game against the Rams might be his last.

His twin Jason – who is now in his second season with the Pats playing cornerback – dismissed his brother’s claims and called him “dramatic,” and as it turned out, Jason was right: Devin would in fact be back for his 10th season in 2019. The longtime Patriot cited his love for the game as the primary reason why he came back… and he has indeed come back alright, and with a vengeance so far.

McCourty leads all New England players in interceptions this season with five. That total is also the best mark in the NFL, and it’s two higher than what any other safety has this year.

It’s also tied for the second-highest tally of McCourty’s career. Two more picks, and he’ll tie his career high of seven interceptions that he set for himself as a rookie. Three more picks, and he’ll break the record in style.

McCourty also is second on the team behind Stephon Gilmore in passes defended with six. For a little extra icing on the cake, he also has a fumble recovery this season. The way things are going, it’d be a surprise if he didn’t end up with his second career defensive touchdown this year as well (he had his first just last season, taking a pick-six to the house up in Buffalo).

Is McCourty the best player on this Patriots defense? It’s hard to say with any real conviction who that player is… at least not until we’ve seen this unit take on some of the more premier offensive opponents on their schedule.

Time will tell who the most valuable players end up being for Belichick’s defense when all is said and done this season – probably in the playoffs, and maybe even not until the Super Bowl. But here and now at the midway point of the season, there are few players more deserving of that top honor than Devin McCourty.