Patriots Acquire Jason McCourty From Browns, Swap Late Draft Picks
The Patriots have acquired cornerback Jason McCourty from the Cleveland Browns.
Trade: The #Browns have traded Jason McCourty to his brother Devin McCourty and the Patriots… They are swapping 6th and 7th round picks this year.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network first reported the news, which the Browns quicklyWe've traded Jason McCourty and a 2018 seventh-round pick to the New England Patriots for a 2018 sixth round pick pic.twitter.com/nPORhxAqZc
An earlier report by the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo indicated that the Browns would be releasing McCourty. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald later
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) March 15, 2018" rel="noopener" target="_blank">reported that the Browns did inform McCourty of his release – but before they could execute the move, the Patriots called them at the last minute to make the trade.McCourty, 30, played the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans before playing in 14 games for the Browns in 2017. He joins his twin brother Devin McCourty as an NFL teammate for the first time.
Jason logged 3 interceptions and 14 passes defensed in 2017 with the Browns. He played the second-most snaps (899) among all Cleveland corners last season.
Low-Risk, High-Reward
Jason McCourty with the Cleveland Browns, circa 2017. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Essentially, Bill Belichick gave nothing up in order to ensure that Jason is on his roster. The Patriots move from the 205th pick to the 219th pick to avoid bidding with other teams for his services. Jason is due a base salary of $2.375 million in 2018 with a cap hit of just $3 million.
It’s a very low-risk move with the potential for great rewards in Foxboro. Jason could turn out to be a good No. 2 cornerback for the Pats, and should be motivated to play hard with the best chance of his career to win a Super Bowl. And if he doesn’t work out, the price to get him was inconsequential.
Now that they’re teammates, perhaps the McCourty twins bring the best out of each other next season.
— By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
