Bill Belichick praises pair of rookie defenders for recent leaps with Patriots
By Adam Weinrib
Patriots HC Bill Belichick heaped praise two growing defensive rookies in Josh Uche and Myles Bryant.
The New England Patriots have plenty to play for over these next few weeks, which will be comprised of a last-ditch effort to make the playoffs — or, at the very least, a pretty solid opportunity to spoil the lives of the Dolphins and Bills (and the Jets, by losing to them).
These games will also be an excellent evaluation period for the Pats heading into free agency, and a chance to get a keen eye on a defensive rookie class that’s definitely coming into its own.
Second-round safety Kyle Dugger has emerged as the hard-hitter we all anticipated he’d be after snagging his first start a few weeks back, but on Monday, Bill Belichick made sure to hype up two other rookies who’ve done excellent work with the increased playing time they’ve been given.
Belichick shouted out pass rush specialist Josh Uche and handsy DB Myles Bryant specifically, and both men have certainly earned their nods — as well as a chance to stick around in 2021.
Belichick on @OMFonWEEI mentioned Myles Bryant and Josh Uche as two young players who’ve made the most of their recent upticks playing time: “Those guys have had a chance to get some playing time, and they’ve done a good job with it, so they’ve earned more.”
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) December 14, 2020
Uche was among the best at pressuring the quarterback in all of college football in 2019. He was widely thought of as an elite value play at the tail end of the second round, as well as an excellent option to pair with his collegiate teammate Chase Winovich at the next level. Early returns are he makes a clear difference when unleashed, after a slow first few weeks of inactivity.
As for Bryant? Expectations for the undersized Washington DB were minimal when he hooked on as a UDFA, and those broadcasting Rams-Patriots on Thursday Night Football weren’t even aware of who they were looking at when he wrestled a football away from Robert Woods after an apparent fingertip catch.
But impact plays like that will help you stick around in Belichick’s defense, where the opportunity to play the so-called “Malcolm Butler role” still exists for this nation’s short kings.
And, while we’re at it, perhaps Belichick deserves a heaping helping of the praise he directed at these two players this week. After all, as more and more defensive options emerge from the last two draft classes, the board begins to look a lot brighter overall.
https://twitter.com/hoodieDubzyy/status/1336720341176119296?s=20
What was all that about the dynasty withering out due to poor draft choices?
Sorry, couldn’t hear you over the glint of all those rings.
