Is safety a bigger need for the Patriots than we think? (2022 positional review)

With the 2022 season in the books, MassLive will look at each position group on the Patriots, analyzing how the team performed in 2022 and where it might be heading in the future. Today we look at safety.

Safety: Devin McCourty, Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jabril Peppers, Joshuah Bledsoe, Brad Hawkins

Contract situation: The safety position has long been one of the strongest depth charts in New England. Entering this offseason, however, the Patriots are lacking short term and long-term depth.

It starts with free safety McCourty. His contract voids at the end of the league year. Right now, he’ll account for $9.7 million in dead cap money for 2023. There’s a real chance McCourty, 35, retires and enters the media game. He’s said he’s going to take his time before deciding on his future.

Peppers, 27, is also set to be a free agent after signing a one-year deal with the Patriots last offseason. That leaves the Patriots with two experienced safeties on the roster.

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Dugger, 26, enters 2023 in the final year of his rookie contract. He’ll account for around $3.649 million on the salary cap. Phillips, 30, is under contract through the 2024 season. His cap hit is around $4.537 million in 2023 and drops to $4.187 million in 2024. He’s the only experienced safety signed beyond next season.

Bledsoe, 25, is in the third year of his rookie deal. His cap hit is just $990,087 in 2023. Hawkins signed a future contract, which pays him $750,000.

2022 review: Where would the Patriots be without their safety depth?

For a while now, this position group has been the anchor of the defense. That was seen in 2022. McCourty played the most defensive snaps (1,098) out of anyone in New England. Dugger (752) and Phillips (704) played the third and fourth most defensive snaps in the secondary.

If the 2022 season was McCourty’s last, the safety will have gone out on top of his game. He started all 17 games and finished tied for the team lead in interceptions (four). McCourty also finished with 71 tackles and eight passes defended. Some highlights included a two-interception game against the New York Jets in Week 8.

McCourty finished on a high note in Buffalo. He had an interception, fumble recovery and pass breakup in the Patriots regular-season finale.

Dugger has developed into one of the best defensive players in New England. He was outstanding in his third NFL season, finishing with 78 tackles, three interceptions and two of those were returned for touchdowns. Dugger is incredibly athletic and it was notable how much he’s improved in pass coverage against opposing tight ends.

Dugger led all defensive players with three non-offensive touchdowns (two interception returns and one fumble return) in 2022.

Phillips had an interesting season. He started seven of the first eight games. That span saw him play around 70-100% of the defensive snaps. After that, his playing dropped. Phillips started one of the final nine games. His playing time was down to 40-60% of the defensive snaps.

Phillips finished with 66 tackles, down from 92 in 2021 and 109 in 2020. He also had three pass breakups. The Patriots coaching staff utilized Peppers more in the second half and that’s a reason why Phillips’ playing time dropped.

Phillips, in his first season in Foxborough, was one of the team’s hardest hitters. He started five of 17 games played and finished 60 tackles to go with a fumble recovery.

The future: This important position could look much different in 2023. A lot of it hinges on McCourty and whether he retires.

In the event McCourty comes back, the Patriots have one of the best team leaders in franchise history and a solid free safety in their defense. Problem solved. But what if McCourty does retire? The Patriots don’t have an experienced free safety on the roster.

In the event McCourty hangs up his cleats, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Patriots draft a free safety high in the spring. They could also look to the free agent market to find a new quarterback of their defense. Free agents include New York’s Julian Love, Buffalo’s Jordan Poyer, Las Vegas’ Duron Harmon and Green Bay’s Adrian Amos.

At strong safety, the Patriots have pieces to be competitive with Dugger and Phillips. The team should prioritize Dugger and sign him to a contract extension. He’s the kind of player you build your secondary round.

Phillips turns 31 this offseason. He’s a good leader and certainly worthy of a roster spot. The Patriots should also work to bring back Peppers. He was a good fit last season. With Dugger, Phillips and Peppers, the Patriots would have three experienced safeties.

Of course, the team still needs a younger free safety – even if McCourty returns. That feels like an underrated need for the 2023 NFL Draft.

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