The Patriots secondary lost a key member this off-season when much maligned cornerback Malcolm Butler signed with the Tennessee Titans.

Butler went from Super Bowl hero against the Seahawks to Super Bowl cast out against the Eagles. We will never really know why he didn’t play in Super Bowl 52 but regardless of how you feel about his benching, it is time to move on from Butler.

Here is my breakdown of the corner back and safety positions for the Patriots.

Projected Starters: Stephon Gilmore (CB), Eric Rowe (CB), Devin McCourty (FS), Patrick Chung (SS)

Back-Ups: Jason McCourty (CB), Duke Dawson (CB), J.C Jackson (CB), Jonathan Jones (CB), Duron Harmon (S), Jordan Richards (S)

Positional Thoughts: The Patriots addressed their cornerback needs by signing veteran Jason McCourty and drafting Duke Dawson in the third round out of Florida and Keion Crossen in the seventh round. They also signed undrafted free agent J.C Jackson. All four figure to play a prominent role this pre-season as Bill Belichick and his defensive staff decide how many corners they want to carry on the roster.

The safety position is a different. The Patriots have plenty of depth and experience at the free safety and strong safety positions with Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon and Patrick Chung. All three are versatile and can play in any package. They can line up over the top in a single high or two high coverage scheme or they can screw down and cover a slot receiver or tight end in man coverage. Fourth year safety Jordan Richards has struggled at times in coverage but he provides depth and is a key contributor on special teams.

The Patriots secondary will once again be heavily scrutinized this season but there is talent at both the cornerback and safety positions. The success of this group will once again come down to whether or not the Patriots can get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. If they do, this secondary will be much better than they were last season.