When Darrelle Revis, Kyle Arrington and Brandon Browner hit the road as free agents in the offseason, people got a sinking feeling about the condition of the 2015 Patriots secondary. Malcolm Butler might be okay -- he’d done more as a rookie than just come up with the biggest interception in NFL history in Super Bowl 49 -- but what about the other corner spot?
Logan Ryan couldn’t be asked to hold that down, right? The Patriots didn’t seem to think so either. They cycled through some veteran free agent corners -- Tarell Brown and Bradley Fletcher among them -- but Ryan ultimately emerged as the No. 2. He’s been one of the biggest eye-openers of the 2015 Patriots season. A third-round pick in 2013, the 24-year-old has settled down. He plays with more composure and calm than he did as a part-time player and he’s advanced to the point where he can take out a top-tier receiver. His performance in the recent Sunday night loss to Denver, when he guarded Demaryius Thomas, was outstanding. Ryan’s got very good size and tackling ability and is able to make smart plays on the ball. He’s already got 11 career interceptions and those don’t happen by accident.
FINAL RATING: Starter | Your rank?