The New England Patriots would likely to extend one of the NFL‘s better safeties, Devin McCourty and will likely do so
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The New England Patriots originally drafted Devin McCourty to be a cornerback back in 2010 when they made him the 27th-overall pick of the first round. However, over the last few seasons, they have transitioned him to safety where he has been a much better player. He’s become a Pro Bowler and is one of the better safeties in the league now.
That’s why the Patriots have to be thinking about an extension.
Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Rumors believed the Patriots want to keep McCourty and will do what they can to keep him (“within reason,” in typical Patriots’ fashion, of course). He used Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas and New Orleans Saints’ safety Jairus Byrd as measuring sticks for McCourty.
“I don’t think McCourty will be able to match Thomas’ contract; at $10MM per season, Thomas redefined the market for safeties in a way that I don’t believe McCourty can,” Robinson explains. “But $9MM a per year, the same amount Byrd received, should be in reach for McCourty. And while Byrd only got 33.9% of his total deal guaranteed, McCourty would likely see more than that — I’d peg it closer to Thomas’ 49.3%, so perhaps around $17MM over a four-year contract. In total, a four-year extension worth roughly $37MM, with $17-18MM guaranteed, would make sense for both sides. The Patriots like to use in-game roster bonuses in their deals, but given that McCourty doesn’t have an injury history or character concerns, I wouldn’t expect them to be too large.”
With a few exceptions (Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski), the Patriots rarely break the bank for any player and it’d be a surprise to see them do it here. Robinson’s solution, however, seems reasonable.
McCourty has 28 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble this season.
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