Secondary Plan: New Cast of Characters Try to Replace Samuel, Hobbs

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Bill Belichick has developed a reputation for knowing when player's careers are over. If their career is not over and they still leave, he can find a more suitable replacement. Export Lawyer Milloy, import Rodney Harrison. So long Willie McGinest, hello Tully Banta-Cain.  Banta-Cain wants to leave, how about Junior Seau, Adalius Thomas, or Jerod Mayo.

When he's made mistakes he's fixed them. Look no further than 2007. Bill thought he could replace Deion Branch and David Givens with Reche Caldwell and Doug Gabriel. It imploded in the AFC Championship game against the Colts when Caldwell dropped two passes that would have been touchdowns.  

The next season Randy Moss and Wes Welker were brought to Foxboro. Moss went on to catch an NFL record 23 touchdown passes. All Welker did was tie for the league lead in receptions with 112.

But one area player he hasn't been able to replace, at least through one year, has been Asante Samuel. This year Belichick tries to ignite the same turnaround in the secondary, especially at cornerback.  

Last season was the first time since 2005 the Pats allowed at least 20 points per game. New England only came up with 14 interceptions, none of which were taken to the house, which was the expertise of the departed Samuel.

Belichick decided to clean house and trade away the other anchor of his secondary, Ellis Hobbs, who was trying to replace Samuel.

Hobbs and Samuel, now Eagles, were stalwarts for the Pats, anchoring the secondary during New England's 18-1 season. Samuel started 44 of his last 46 games in New England and Hobbs started 41 games the last three years. While teamed together, the two terrorized quarterbacks to a tone of 19 interceptions and 60 pass deflections.

Without Samuel though, Hobbs was not nearly as affective. He was beat numerous times during the season, failing to adequately replace Samuel. It could be one of the reasons the Patriots shipped him to Philadelphia for two fifth round picks.

The Patriots used the picks to move up in the forth round and select offensive lineman Richard Ohrnberger out of Penn St. For Hobbs, the season resembled more how he ended Super Bowl XLII, when he was burned by Plaxico Burress, than how he started the game with a interception of Eli Manning.

The new plan in the post Asante Samuel days includes seven players that are young, old, experienced and inexperienced names. The returners—Jonathan Wilhite, Terrence Wheatley, and Mike Richardson—have played a combined 32 games in the NFL.

The newcomers are a mix.  Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden have combined to put on four different uniforms and have taken the field 232 times. The problem is Springs has played in two playoff games, losing both, and Bodden has never played in a postseason game.

The Patriots hope Wilhite can continue to dip into the potential he showed at the end of last season. After recording one or less tackles in 10 of the first 12 games, the corner out of Auburn closed out the final four games with 12 tackles, two pass deflections and an interception.

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