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Darius Butler

Butler Wins Practice Player of Week

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Butler Wins Practice Player of Week

I think Kyle Arrington has been okay since replacing Darius Butler, but I just don’t think he has the ceiling that Butler has. This quote was especially encouraging from Bill Belichick:

“He had a good week of practice,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “He did a good job, got his hands on a lot of balls, made it hard on our offense.”

So maybe this is a sign that Butler is starting to get it. For him to start playing up to the level he’s capable of playing would be a huge boost to this defense down the stretch.

5 Patriots Personnel Areas to Watch Follow Up

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Prior to the game against the Ravens we posted five areas we’d be curious to watch when it came to the Patriots personnel area. Following up below…

1. Darius Butler Back?

Nope, they’re still going with Arrington though I thought I saw Butler in there late. I haven’t lost hope with Butler, but clearly he hasn’t turned it around just yet.

2. Brace vs. Deaderick

Deaderick got the nod at LDE, the position where Brace has been playing all season so it’s safe to say that Deaderick has passed him on the depth chart for the time being. The Pats held the Ravens to under 100 yards rushing and that was a huge key in stopping them, so regardless if Deaderick got turned a couple times, as a whole the Pats run D was strong.

3. Meriweather at 34 FS?

With James Sanders out it’s hard to tell if Meriweather is completely out of the dog house. Though after that hit on Heap, which BB looked none too pleased with, he could be back in it.

4. Hernan Expanded Role

As expected Hernandez was a frequent target of Brady. I’m willing to forgive his drops in overtime. He’s the youngest player in the NFL and he just learned how much he needs to stay focused.

5. OLB Snaps?

Jermaine Cunningham and Rob Ninkovich were out there a lot. Can’t wait to see Mike Reiss’ defensive snap totals because it seems like TBC has been reduced to a DPR role. I can’t believe Patriots Nation isn’t doing backflips right now that we found an OLB in the draft who is playing a lot and playing well. Each game I like Nink and Cunn more.

Could Kyle Arrington Start at RCB?

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Could Kyle Arrington Start at RCB?

Mike Reiss points out that Arrington got some first team reps this week over Darius Butler. I’ve always found Arrington to be an intriguing player. He was an unstoppable Special Teams demon after being promoted from the practice squad in 2009, a move that was forced somewhat by the Browns trying to poach Arrington to their active roster.

Arrington showed up well in the preseason with some devastating hits. If nothing else it would be good to see him show what he’s got at cornerback against a team like the Bills. What would also be interesting is seeing how Wilhite vs. Butler plays out for the nickel corner position. And that Wilhite is not even in consideration on the outside anymore, a spot where he started a couple games in 2008.

Also note in the pic of Moss in the post below it’s Arrington covering him. 

Patriots Monday OTA Observation Huddle Up

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You gotta love these random media access days at OTAs. They really help you get through the hardest part of The Void (along with purchasing the NFL Preview magazines that are starting to hit the stands.

Here are some collective things that we found interesting from various beat reporter coverage:

From Reiss:

It’s a practice like this that crystallizes why Brady likes having David Patten on the field, as “Chief” always seems to be in the right place. Meanwhile, it’s a work in progress with second-year receiver Brandon Tate, who lined up opposite Randy Moss and Julian Edelman and is getting coached up quite a bit by Brady.

For all those who complained when the Patriots signed David Patten it’s things like this that should be exhibit A of why he was brought in. There’s far more to constructing a football team than the game day roster. Even if Patten doesn’t make the team he is already making an impact on the 2010 Patriots.

From PFW:

Chung got a lot of reps working alongside Brandon Meriweather

Pat Chung once again wore a red, non-contact jersey for the non-contact OTA.

I spoke about how much I love Chung on PatsCast and I like seeing that he’s getting a lot of time with Meriweather. Chung might not be the biggest guy but I think his personality could be infectious for this young New England secondary. I also think he might be wearing the red jersey more to remind himself to take it easy than to remind others.

From Shalise:

Darius Butler made the play of the day, jumping in front of a Tom Brady pass intended for Julian Edelman on the sideline for an interception.

Early signs of Butler locking down the starting LCB position are looking good. The real battle will be McCourty versus Wilhite at Nickel.