Before we start, it needs to be said that it would be impossible for the New England Patriots to fully replace retired safety Devin McCourty.

The Patriots can’t just slot in another player who has McCourty’s leadership, skill, dependability, durability, communication, athleticism, versatility and winning pedigree. That player does not exist in the NFL or at the college level.

But with that out of the way, the Patriots need someone to play free safety in 2023 and beyond.

Let's go through New England's top options.

IN-HOUSE

There is no obvious option already on the Patriots’ roster to move to McCourty’s position. New England was well-stocked at safety last season, but Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers all primarily played in the slot or in the box as hybrid strong safeties/linebackers. 

Phillips played just 28.3 percent of his defensive snaps at free safety, Dugger played just 10.9 percent of his snaps at free safety, and Peppers, a free agent, played just 10.6 percent of his snaps at free safety. The Patriots also have Joshuah Bledsoe on their roster, though the 2021 sixth-round pick barely saw the field in 2022. Slot cornerback Myles Bryant played 8 percent of snaps at free safety last season, as well.

FREE AGENTS

There are actually a number of quality options set to hit the open market in free agency next week at free safety.

Jessie Bates is the top option, though PFF’s Brad Spielberger projects he’ll earn a contract worth $16 million per year in free agency. Jordan Poyer, Julian Love, Taylor Rapp, Juan Thornhill, Adrian Amos, Rodney McLeod and Duron Harmon are other worthy options who played most of their snaps at free safety last season. None of those players has an APY exceeding $9 million in Spielberger’s projections.

The Patriots likely wouldn’t mind poaching Poyer from the Bills, but he recently said he wouldn’t mind playing in a sunnier climate where state taxes don’t take as much money of his paycheck. New England might not be for Poyer then. 

Love played under Patriots assistant Joe Judge for the New York Giants, so there’s a history there. 

Harmon won three Super Bowls with the Patriots before leaving in free agency following the 2019 season. He’s maintained a high level of play for the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders. Re-signing Harmon would make a great deal of sense to bring in a base-level replacement as insurance.

NFL DRAFT

It would be a lot to ask a rookie to come to New England and take over McCourty's starting spot at free safety. Alabama's Brian Branch is currently viewed as the top safety in the draft. He only played 25 snaps at safety last season with most of his action coming in the slot.

Penn State's Ji'Ayir Brown and Texas A&M's Antonio Johnson are two other top safeties in the class.

It makes sense to draft a developmental free safety, but it's hard to see that player starting right away.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

The Patriots could also do what they did to find their last free safety, and move him from cornerback. That’s how McCourty wound up playing free safety in the first place after being drafted out of Rutgers as an outside cornerback in 2010. By 2013, McCourty was a full-time free safety.

The top option to make that switch is a free agent, however, and that’s Jonathan Jones. Jones has stated his desire to be back with the Patriots, and his history in and knowledge of New England’s defense would fit well with McCourty’s previous role as the quarterback of the defense. Jones played just five snaps at free safety last season and nine in 2021. But in New England’s Super Bowl LIII win over the Los Angeles Rams, he was at free safety for 27.4 percent of snaps. Jones primarily played in the slot for most of his Patriots career before moving outside in 2022. Marcus Jones, a 2022 third-round pick, looks primed to take over the slot from Jonathan Jones after a high level of play as a rookie.

Mills has also played safety during his NFL career, though he doesn’t have McCourty or Jones’ speed.

Jones seems to be the best option here since he knows the defense, he's played the role before and he'd already enter the 2023 season as a team leader. It's just a matter of whether New England can re-sign him.

Featured image via Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports