Devin McCourty No. 26 on PFF's Top 101 of the 2010s
PFF continued to role out their list of their top 101 players in the NFL during the 2010s, dishing up numbers 25-49 on Wednesday.
Making that part of the list was New England Patriots captain and safety Devin McCourty, who was ranked as no. 26 on PFF's list. Here is what they had to say about McCourty:
After starting the decade as a promising young cornerback, McCourty transitioned to safety in 2012 and ended up becoming one of the league’s best players at the position. He’s played over 1,000 snaps in every season of his career, including the playoffs, and his solid all-around playing style has meshed perfectly in New England’s defensive scheme. He’s become one of the faces of the second part of the Patriots’ dynasty; he has missed only 71 tackles on 896 career attempts and annually ranks among the best safeties when it comes to avoiding negatively graded plays. McCourty ranks in the 90th percentile in coverage grade among safeties this past decade, and he’s in the 94th percentile when lined up at free safety. He plays the Patriots’ ever-changing scheme to perfection.
At 32 years of age, McCourty is coming off one of his best seasons to-date in the NFL. Last season he recorded 58 total tackles, five interceptions, seven passes defended and two forced fumbles. He earned an 80.1 overall PFF grade in 2019, as well as an 89.1 coverage grade. His ability on the field along with his leadership ability off the field during his nine-year career have been catalysts for New England's sustained success during the 2010s.
McCourty was set to become a free agent this offseason, however, right before free agency began the Patriots came to an agreement on a five-year, $53 million deal with the veteran safety. It seems like a large deal given his age, but the contract reportedly voids on the final day of the 2021 league year.
