FOXBORO, Mass. — To make up for some of the New England Patriots’ more regrettable offseason additions, Bill Belichick found some diamonds in the rough to unexpectedly step up on defense.
When the Patriots traded for linebacker Marquis Flowers and cornerback Johnson Bademosi prior to Week 1 and signed linebacker Trevor Reilly off their practice squad before Week 8, it was logical to expect those players to contribute on special teams. They were not presumed to become key defensive role players, however.
Jonathan Jones, who entered the season fourth on the Patriots’ depth chart behind Stephon Gilmore, Malcolm Butler and Eric Rowe, also didn’t figure to be a nearly every-down player midway through the season.
But all four of those players, who still have key roles on special teams, have played a part in boosting the Patriots’ surging defense that has gone from last in the league in points allowed to 13th in just eight weeks.
Jones played 94.6 percent of snaps Sunday afternoon against the Oakland Raiders in Mexico City and was in on two turnovers. Belichick said Wednesday he’s seen “quite a bit” of improvement out of Jones this season defensively. It’s not outlandish to say he’s been the Patriots’ most consistent cornerback.
“Yeah, he’s done a good job for us,” Belichick said. “He’s played primarily inside but he can play both. He’s played both outside and inside. He’s got good catch-up speed and does an excellent job of finishing. He has really good awareness of the receiver’s hands, the timing of the throw, when to reach for the ball, not to get interference calls, try to get into the pocket of the receiver and so forth. He’s got good speed, and good quickness and he’s a tough kid. You see that in the kicking game. You see it on defense, too. He’s tough.”
Belichick said Jones is one of the Patriots’ fastest players, which is why he’s a gunner on special teams.
Flowers didn’t play a defensive snap for the Patriots until Week 3 and only was on the field for 24 defensive plays through the first seven games. He’s played 59 snaps over the last three weeks and forced a fumble against the Raiders.
Belichick isn’t surprised Flowers can contribute on defense.
“Well, Marquis played quite a bit on defense for the Bengals in preseason,” Belichick said. “So, I think you could see it there. It’s not regular season but it was actually this season. I think we had a pretty good idea of what his defensive skills were even though the number of regular season plays, as you pointed out, was limited. There were quite a few preseason plays on defense that you could evaluate.”
Reilly is perhaps the most surprising defensive contributor. He was signed to the Patriots’ practice squad Oct. 12 and added to the active roster two weeks later. He actually started the Patriots’ Week 10 win over the Denver Broncos and has played 24 snaps in the Patriots’ last three games as a hybrid edge defender.
Belichick seemed to know Reilly could contribute when he was on the Patriots’ practice squad last season.
“Well, Trevor was here last year and Trevor, I think, did a really good job for us,” Belichick said. “We were pretty healthy last year and never really had an opportunity to move him up. When an opportunity came for him to be a roster player and play in games and so forth, he took that. …
“I’d say he’s built on last year but he was doing well last year, too. We just didn’t have the spot. I wouldn’t say I’m surprised at the way he’s performed. He’s done a good job for us.”
Bademosi’s role has dropped off since Stephon Gilmore returned to the field, but he filled in as one of the Patriots’ outside cornerbacks Sunday when Gilmore left the game because of dehydration. Bademosi helped keep the defense afloat for three games while Gilmore was out.
