It looks like the New England Patriots should have at least one of their free agents committing to play for next season.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, former two-time Pro Bowl selection and starting free safety Devin McCourty has no plans to retire and will return for next season. His agent, Andy Simms, confirmed to Reiss.
“He wants to play,” McCourty’s agent, Andy Simms, told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “Retirement is not an option.”
McCourty is one of the longest-tenured players on the team, having spent his entire career in New England. The 32-year-old safety was drafted with the 27th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and is an eight-time captain of the defensive unit.
Will McCourty Play For the Patriots in 2020?
While the question is no longer whether McCourty is going to play next season or not, the question now becomes whether or not it’ll be in a Patriots uniform. New England has $28 million in salary cap space, but they obviously have a more pressing need in free agency — none other than quarterback Tom Brady.
The veteran safety acknowledged he doesn’t know what his future holds, as he doesn’t have an idea of what NFL team he’ll suit up for during the 2020 season.
He shared that very viewpoint during the “Double Coverage” podcast.
“No one really knows what’s going to happen. I would say most teams really don’t even think about free agency for a couple weeks; I would say the beginning of March … So you think where you could go, will you be on your team again? But there’s really nothing [definitive] to think about.”
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McCourty Will Have Options in Free Agency
Despite his advanced age, McCourty is expected to command top dollar in the free agency market. The league’s best safeties make anywhere from $10-to-$14 million per season and his durability is a major asset. McCourty has started in 65 consecutive games, the third-best mark among all defensive backs in the league.
Furthermore, the number of former Patriots coaches that are now head coaches around the league — Brian Flores with the Miami Dolphins, Joe Judge with the New York Giants and Matt Patricia of the Detroit Lions — make it very possible that McCourty could leave the Patriots for more money. For example, the Dolphins have $90 million in cap space this offseason while the Giants have $60 million.
McCourty showed no signs of slowing down in 2019, proving to be a reliable asset in the defensive backfield. He had one of the better seasons of his career, posting five interceptions, seven pass breakups and forcing two fumbles while serving as the captain on the defense.
As far as advanced statistics are concerned, McCourty showed an improvement upon his 2018 stats, as Reiss notes.
“He allowed a completion percentage of 54.3 this past season as the nearest defender in coverage. His “Hawk Rate” — defined as percentage of targets when the nearest defender made a play on the football, was 17.1%.”
The Patriots obviously want McCourty back, but whether or not Brady returns to the Patriots — and depending upon what type of salary he commands — will play a role in whether or not McCourty returns for an 11th season in New England.
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Patriots Pro Bowler Has No Plans To Retire: Report