Returning Patriots Defenders Begin Adjustments In Post-Devin McCourty Era

The New England Patriots began to implement necessary adjustments in the first game of the post-Devin McCourty era against the Houston Texans.

Yes, these were in a preseason game. Nonetheless, New England will have players taking on new responsibilities following the retirement of the three-time Super Bowl champion.

As a long-time high-IQ defender, McCourty often wore the green dot on his helmet as the on-field defensive communicator.

On Thursday, third-year linebacker Jahlani Tavai took the green dot and the reigns as the defensive communicator to kick off his third season in New England. The 26-year-old grew within the defense in 2022 and now serves as a key voice on the field.

"It was a lot of fun," Tavai said, per a team-provided transcript. "A lot of the guys had a lot of those jitters the first game, especially the younger guys, myself included. But it was fun to just go out there, run around again and just make plays."

Moving to McCourty's position as a roaming safety deep in the secondary, Jalen Mills looks to hold down the role and stay versatile among a talented position group.

"Honestly, it's wherever Coach sees fit," Mills said, per a team-provided transcript. "I can play in the slot. I can play strong safety; I can play free safety. I can blitz off the edge. I can do a lot of different things, so I think it's just about trusting Coach to put me in the right position to help this defense, make plays and help the team win games."

The depth and on-field communication will be massive priorities for the New England defense in an attempt to recreate McCourty's impact. The Patriots do have both traits in multiple defenders that look to adjust for a group with high potential entering the 2023 season.