New England Patriots - NESN.com
New England Patriots fans were reminded in recent years of how rare playoff runs are in the NFL.
Now 13 weeks through Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach of the “rebuilding” Patriots, New England sits atop the AFC with an 11-2 record heading into the bye week and a chance to clinch the division the next time they step on the field.
The time to make winning moves is now, and with the Pittsburgh Steelers waiving All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay on Tuesday afternoon, New England has an opportunity to bring in a Super Bowl champion.
The Patriots already have placed two cornerbacks on injured reserve this season. Although Carlton Davis, Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones are playing well, New England is one injury away from seeing special teams contributor Charles Woods slot into the starting lineup.
In Monday night’s dominating win over the New York Giants, veteran Carlton Davis and third-year All-Pro Christian Gonzalez played every snap on the defensive side of the ball for the fourth week in a row.
If New England is serious about making a deep playoff run, adding depth at cornerback would be a good idea.
Although Slay is not playing like he used to, his championship pedigree would be a welcome addition to the cornerback room.
He helped the Philadelphia Eagles bring home the Lombardi Trophy just last season, defending 13 passes in 14 games. However, for the first time since his rookie season in 2013, Slay did not record an interception.
The Patriots’ starting corners have been asked to do a lot in the back half of the season, and it’s not too often that a six-time Pro Bowler hits the market just in time for a Super Bowl run.
