Count me as a fan of the Jason McCourty trade. The Patriots acquired Devin’s twin brother along with a 2018 seventh round pick for a 2018 sixth round pick. McCourty played well in his one and only season in Cleveland. He will be a good fit with the Patriots because of his style of play but also because of his brother being here to guide him through the learning process when it comes to the system.

The Patriots couldn’t afford to start a rookie as a Malcolm Butler’s replacement. They needed to bring in a veteran who can at least compete for the starting job. McCourty fits the bill. He can play in any alignment whether it be as a press corner in Cover 2 or as a man to man cover corner. He has experience in a variety of schemes.

Belichick and his staff have gotten a lot out of veteran corners through the years. Whether it be Otis Smith, Terrell Buckley, Tyrone Poole, Hank Poteat, Leigh Bodden or Darrelle Revis, veteran corners always seem to play well when they come to New England. It could be a byproduct of the fact that Belichick is a defensive backs coach by trade.

Acquiring McCourty is a cheap, effective way to replace Butler. Sure, people will compare McCourty to Butler. I get it but the fact of the matter is, there isn’t a big difference between them. McCourty is slightly taller, that’s it about it. They play a similar style.

Something tells me this may end up being Bill Belichick’s best roster move this off-season. The Patriots always seem to strike gold with veteran corners, especially ones that are still in their prime. McCourty could end up being a tremendous acquisition when the dust settles.