New England Patriots cornerback Eric Rowe, four weeks into the 2017 season, has been extremely unlucky.
Rowe had replaced cornerback Malcolm Butler as a starter in the Patriots’ defense in Week 2 but suffered a groin injury midway through the game that knocked him out of their Week 3 win over the Houston Texans. Rowe was active in Week 4 but was relegated back to third cornerback status until the second half. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore struggled in the first half, and Rowe replaced him as the No. 2 cornerback to begin the second half. On the Patriots’ first defensive snap, Rowe reinjured his groin and didn’t return to the game.
Rowe didn’t practice Monday or Tuesday and seems unlikely to play Thursday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So, what do the Patriots do now?
The simple answer is Jonathan Jones moves up the depth chart to replace Rowe, but there are other issues afoot in the Patriots’ secondary.
The Patriots weren’t expected to heavily utilize a third cornerback this season, since their base nickel package includes safeties Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon. Chung, however, has struggled at times and taken on a reduced role this season, so the third cornerback has taken on a heavier role than expected.
There’s also the issue of Gilmore’s communication problems. There’s a reason Gilmore was benched for Rowe in the second half. And if Rowe was healthy, it’s possible he would be starting over Gilmore in Week 5 against the Buccaneers.
It’s pretty much impossible for the Patriots to outright bench Gilmore in Week 5 because that would mean elevating Jones to the No. 2 role, and either special-teamer Johnson Bademosi or safety Devin McCourty would take on the No. 3 spot. Bademosi hasn’t played a defensive snap this season. And moving McCourty from safety would cause a complicated trickle-down effect.
The Patriots also need a bigger cornerback against the Buccaneers to match up with Tampa Bay’s top receiver, Mike Evans, who goes 6-foot-5, 231 pounds. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick joked (we think) Tuesday that New England would have to line up defensive end Deatrich Wise again Evans to match the receiver’s physicality. Butler and Jones both are under 6 feet, so having Gilmore, who’s 6-foot-1, to cover Evans would be helpful.
No one would have imagined the Patriots’ secondary would have this many question marks five weeks into the season. Their defensive backfield was supposed to be a strength in 2017.
Rowe’s injury has essentially locked the Patriots into playing and sticking with Gilmore. Now they have to hope his communication issues fade away after a short week.
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
