New England Patriots: Full Position Breakdown and Depth Chart Analysis at CB

Strange fascination, fascinating me. Changes are taking the pace I'm going through. - David Bowie, "Changes"

The New England Patriots have created a competition for starting spots in their secondary by eliminating the old crop of top defensive backs. It's a captivating situation, but that captivation is due to uncertainty. Regardless, the results of the changes in the secondary will dictate the success or failure of the Patriots pass defense.

Of course, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that the Patriots defense will take a dramatic step back without the assistance of Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington and Alfonzo Dennard on the back end. The Patriots have bolstered their front seven, though, so the added help from the pass rush could aid the secondary in doing its job of covering the receivers all over the field.

That being said, the cornerbacks may not be asked to cover those receivers all over the field the same way they were in 2014. This year, the defensive scheme may focus more on zone coverage, with the cornerbacks using their quickness, instincts and football intelligence rather than physicality and athleticism.

Regardless, someone's going to have to step up into starting roles.  

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

The Starters

Experience could be the difference-maker in the battle for starting spots in the Patriots secondary. If that's the case, Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler already have a head start on the rest of the group thanks to their familiarity with head coach Bill Belichick's defensive philosophy.

As mentioned previously, the focus of the Patriots defense may change a bit with the dramatic changes in personnel, but the language and the playbook aren't going to be scrapped (although the playbook may be expanded a bit).

Ryan burst onto the scene as a rookie with five interceptions despite being mostly a backup. Even despite being third or fourth on the depth chart, Ryan earned seven starts in his first year due to some injuries to his teammates.

The 5'11", 195-pound corner is not quite as physical as some of the other cornerbacks to suit up for the Patriots in recent years, and he wasn't well-suited for the man-coverage-centric scheme the Patriots ran last year, but his quickness and awareness will serve him well this year.

Those are traits that Butler showed off regularly in his rookie season in 2014, and those traits showed up at the most opportune time when Butler made the game-saving interception at the 1-yard line in the Super Bowl. Butler is similarly shaped to Ryan at 5'11" and 190 pounds, and while he may not be the most physically imposing cornerback in the NFL, he has enough size and skill to line up on the perimeter of the defense.

Other cornerbacks could get an opportunity to start for the Patriots, but Ryan and Butler appear to be the front-runners at this time.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Backups

The battle for backup spots will be just as tense as the battle for starting spots—probably due to the fact that most of the same players will end up competing for the same spots. 

Bradley Fletcher, Daxton Swanson, Robert McClain and rookie Darryl Roberts will be among the players competing for those spots. If the spring workout program is any indication, those spots will be wide open for the taking. The Patriots fielded at least 10 different combinations of cornerbacks during one practice at minicamp. 

As veteran free-agent signings, Fletcher and McClain have the best chance at making the final roster. Opposing quarterbacks targeted Fletcher a lot in the Philadelphia Eagles' secondary in 2014, but he only gave up receptions on 53 percent of the throws in his direction, and although he allowed nine touchdowns (second most in the NFL), he also broke up 18 passes (most in the NFL). 

McClain has struggled in the past two years with the Atlanta Falcons, yielding completions on 71.6 percent of the throws in his direction with five touchdowns, two interceptions and five pass breakups on 134 throws.

Swanson bounced on and off the Patriots practice squad in 2014, and Roberts was a seventh-round pick out of Marshall who could spend his rookie year on the practice squad if the Patriots don't think he's ready to contribute.

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The Castoffs

Daxton Swanson and Darryl Roberts may be competing for one roster spot, and the winner may come down to which player offers the most value on special teams. There's always an outside shot the Patriots could carry six cornernbacks into the season, but even if they do, there will be a few castoffs. 

Derek Cox, Justin Green and Jimmy Jean are among a similar group of outsiders looking in, needing to prove that they can also contribute on kick and punt coverage and return units. 

Green has been with the Patriots before, so familiarity works in his favor, but the Patriots have shipped him off in the past, having traded him to the Dallas Cowboys for defensive tackle Ben Bass. At 6'3" and 180 pounds, Jean has size in his favor with plenty of frame to fill out and become a more physical defensive back. The Pats signed Cox during organized team activities, so he has some catching up to do.

Whoever ends up winning among those three may still not have enough juice to make the final roster.

Unless otherwise noted, all practice notes obtained firsthand. All advanced stats obtained via Pro Football Focus.