The fourth-year man is the only Patriots cornerback to appear in all 14 games so far.
Heading toward the 2023 regular season, the New England Patriots cornerback group was considered a definitive strength of the team and one of the best in the NFL. And why would it not have been?
Steady veteran Jonathan Jones had starter experience both inside and outside; Jack Jones and Marcus Jones had shown enticing playmaking potential during their rookie seasons; Myles Bryant and Shaun Wade offered versatility. Additionally, the team invested a first-round draft pick in one of the most promising defensive prospects available, Christian Gonzalez.
What started out as a high-upside group on paper, however, was decimated along the way — to a point where Bryant has now become its only member to appear in every game this season. In fact, he now leads all Patriots cornerbacks with a playing time share of 75.3 percent this season while also playing 18.5 percent of kicking game snaps.
Unsurprisingly, head coach Bill Belichick was full of praise for the former rookie free agent on Wednesday.
“He’s been valuable every year,” Belichick said about the 25-year-old. “Returning punts, playing in the kicking game, playing outside, playing inside. It was the same thing last year. He’s one of our most versatile players, and he’s able to handle a lot of different responsibilities. He’s had to, and he’s done a good job.”
Bryant joined New England as an undrafted free agent in 2020, and immediately started seeing regular snaps as a do-it-all defensive back. He lined up in the slot, on the perimeter and at safety, laying the groundwork for more steady playing time over his next three seasons.
So far this year, he has played at least 51 percent of defensive snaps in every game this season. Along the way, he registered 67 tackles, one sack and interception each, and a team-high two forced fumbles.
Bryant has had his ups and downs, but he provided valuable stability in a cornerback room desperately looking for it. New England, after all, has seen multiple members of the group become unavailable during the season.
The first to go was Jonathan Jones, who hurt his ankle in the lead-up to the Patriots’ Week 2 contest against the Miami Dolphins and had to sit out three games as a result. Jones was able to make a comeback, unlike the other Joneses as well as Gonzalez: Marcus Jones suffered a shoulder in jury in Week 2; Jack Jones was released after a series of off-field incidents; Christian Gonzalez hurt his shoulder in Week 4.
In addition, Gonzalez’s replacement also lasted only two-and-a-half months. J.C. Jackson, who was brought back via trade from the Los Angeles Chargers in early October, was placed on the non-football illness list earlier this week. His return at one point over the final three weeks of the season is in doubt.
As a result, the Patriots’ cornerback group currently consists of Jonathan Jones, Shaun Wade, in-season addition Alex Austin, and the always-steady Myles Bryant.