Wondering about how the Pats handle the CB position next year. Assuming Revis can be resigned — big assumption, for sure — there’s a proliferation of riches at the position. Butler had a really impressive rookie year for UFA, from training camp to the final play. Browner very good in some respects, pretty bad in others (the penalties), fairly expensive. Arrington limited but excellent on quick slot guys. Ryan had a disappionting year, I thought, but it was just his second year.

This is a one of those good problems to have. I think Revis/Browner are locked in as the starters on the outside. Browner’s physicality is worth the 1-2 penalties per game and who knows if we’ll still have the stupid “point of emphasis” on no downfield touching.

The thing that we saw a lot this year, is that with two great outside corners, the other guys become the main targets so it’s important to have at least two more good corners that can play inside and play man.

Arrington had an up and down year, some games he was great, but the he struggled with the size matchup with Matthews in the Super Bowl and was benched. I’ve always been a fan of Arrington, though I know he is polarizing. But he’s tough, physical and is one of the better slot corners in the NFL when the matchup is good for him.

I’m just so-so on Ryan, I’m not sure his ceiling is higher than a backup 4th/5th option and when he’s in the game, they’re throwing at him. He does deserve some credit for a couple good plays in the Super Bowl though, so there is that.

Then there’s Dennard who is pretty interesting to me. He’s undersized so he was dead meat when asked to cover Demaryius Thomas in the 2013 AFCCG. Still, he’s tenacious and makes plays on the ball. The problem is that it seems like he’s limited to playing outside as they tried to move him inside this year and he couldn’t crack the lineup.

Finally, we have Butler who just seems to keep getting better and even aside from the interception, he made multiple plays on the ball in limited time in the Super Bowl. 

So realistically I think Butler’s ceiling could be the starting nickelback. He has better size than Arrington and can play man. A full offseason should really benefit him, and he seems to understand he can’t let one huge play define his career. It will literally mean nothing when camp opens in July.

There’s great depth at the position (assuming Revis comes back) and we don’t really have to figure it all out right now. Competition and injuries will have a big say in how it all shakes out. But on paper they have good options, again, assuming Revis comes back.