With the Raiders hiring a new general manager and head coach from the New England Patriots, it’s only fair that we look at a few free agents that could leave Foxboro for New England.
The first is two-time Pro Bowler Devin McCourty, who has missed just five starts during his entire career with the Patriots. At the age of 34, he is scheduled to hit the open market in just a few weeks.
In a recent article by The Athletic, they ranked the top 150 free agents. McCourty showed up on that list at No. 83. Here is what they had to say about the three-time Super Bowl champion:
“He’s started 188 games, including 17 last year, during his 12-year career with the Patriots. And McCourty hasn’t missed a game in the last six years. McCourty is a prototypical free safety, and he still got it done last year with three interceptions and 10 passes defended. He could be a nice short-term option on a contending team.”
So could the Raiders be interested in adding him to the secondary alongside safeties Trevon Moehrig and Johnathan Abram? It would make some sense for a few different reasons.
Adding McCourty would allow the Raiders to play a “big nickel” defense often and it could allow Abram to play more in the box on passing downs. And when the Raiders play Cover-2, McCourty and Moehirg would be an excellent pairing.
It also makes sense from a team-building standpoint as McCourty could help the development of Abram and Moehrig. McCourty is one of the most respected defensive backs in the NFL and he would be a great mentor for Moehrig and Abram. But more importantly, he can still play well and he is always available.
This would also be a great insurance policy on Abram, who has missed at least three games in every season so far in his career. He was a first-round pick in 2019, but has only played 28 games and has ended each season with an injury. McCourty would provide a good floor in case Abram is unable to say on the field.
McCourty isn’t expected to earn a ton of money on the open market. Instead, a one-year deal worth around $4 million would probably make sense. If the Raiders are looking to add a proven winner and leader to their defense, McCourty would make a lot of sense.
