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Patriots Position Preview: Cornerback

BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots have their share of question marks heading into the 2015 season, but none is bigger than their group of cornerbacks.

The Patriots will eventually raise a Super Bowl banner, thanks in large part to the stellar play of their secondary last season. It was their secondary, and one wild decision by Pete Carroll, that sealed/saved their latest title, and Malcolm Butler will forever be remembered as a Super Bowl hero around these parts.

But he's going to have to become so much more if the Patriots want a shot at another Lombardi Trophy this season. Their top three corners from last season are gone, leaving Bill Belichick with a mishmash of defensive backs from pretty much anywhere he could find them.

It's terrifying to think the Patriots will go from having Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner roaming the defensive backfield to potentially trotting out Butler, Logan Ryan and a handful of castoffs found on the Island Of Misfit Toys.

We were spoiled last year with a legit crop of corners, the best we've seen since the days of Ty Law and the likes of Tyrone Poole and Asante Samuel, but now it looks as though the Patriots are reverting back into the dark ages of 2009-2013 -- the "bend but don't break" secondaries that had a knack for giving up ridiculous amounts of yards to even the most forgotten of passers.

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It brings back the horrible memories of the frustrating 2011 season, when Chad Henne threw for 416 yards in Week 1. Injury replacement Vince Young threw for 400 yards against the Pats in Week 12, with Dan Orlovsky following it up a week later with 335 yards. The only quarterbacks not to throw for over 250 yards that season were named Sanchez, Tebow and Palko.

But as much as each week of that season made your blood boil and heart rate rise, New England won all three of those contests previously mentioned and went 13-3 on the season. They made it to the Super Bowl before falling to Eli Manning and the Giants, despite the fact their corners consisted of guys like Sterling Moore and Antwaun Molden.

The "bend don't break" may work in the regular season, but it has failed when it matters most. This could be a very interesting season for the New England cornerbacks, but for now, at least they have plenty of competition in camp.

Additions

Bradley Fletcher
Robert McClain
Darryl Roberts
Justin Green
Tarell Brown

Subtractions

Darrelle Revis
Brandon Browner
Kyle Arrington
Alfonzo Dennard

Depth Chart

Logan Ryan
Malcolm Butler
Bradley Fletcher
Robert McClain
Tarell Brown
Darryl Roberts
Justin Green

Outlook

This is going to get interesting, but it is going to be one heck of a battle during training camp and the presason. No one is set in stone at the moment, whether that be as a starter or on the depth chart.

At the moment, it looks as though Butler and Logan Ryan, now in his third year with the team, will get the starting nods. It's a big season for both, with Butler looking to assert himself as an everyday player and not just a one-hit wonder, and Ryan aiming to break out into a starting role. Ryan played just under 50 percent of the defensive snaps last year, with Revis and Browner in front of him, so he's due for a big increase of his workload this season -- if he earns it.

Behind them are offseason additions Brandon Fletcher and Robert McClain, castoffs from Philadelphia and Atlanta, respectively. They all but threw a parade for Fletcher's departure from the Eagles, as he got burned down the stretch by the likes of Dez Bryant and DeSean Jackson, aiding in Philadelphia missing the postseason with a 10-6 record. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 92nd out of 108 corners last season, allowing 1,072 yards -- more than any other corner in the NFL. In all, he allowed nine touchdowns last season.

McClain, a four-year veteran, has three career interceptions in 63 games. A former seventh-round pick, he's missed just one game over the last three seasons, so at least we know there's a good chance he stays healthy. Let's just hope he's better than Darius Butler, another former UConn Husky the Patriots once counted on in their secondary.

To add more veteran blood to the mix and another body to increase the competition, the Patriots signed free agent Tarell Brown last week. He played for Oakland last season, deflecting four passes in 14 games, after spending the first seven years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. He has 11 interceptions over his career.

Also competing for a spot is Darryl Roberts, New England's seventh-round pick in May and the only corner they drafted. Justin Green and Dax Swanson, who were both on the New England practice squad in 2014, and Derek Cox (did not play in 2014) are also in on the competition, though will likely end up on the practice squad or out of a job.

Add it all up, and the Patriots have a collection of corners who will be battling for jobs over the next six weeks. None of the players brought in will be able to replace what New England got out of Revis and Browner last season, that much is obvious, and it likely signals the return of those high-scoring tilts on most Sundays. This is going to put even more pressure on the rest of the New England defense.

The Patriots will still probably win 11-13 games this season, but be ready to watch the defense give up big passing yards, making some Sundays rather frustrating. It's a deficiency on the roster that could ultimately cost the Patriots in the end.

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