Pairing Christian Gonzalez with a Super Bowl-winning cornerback available in 2025 NFL free agency would restore the secondary as a strength of the New England Patriots, so it’s good news head coach Mike Vrabel’s scheme is a perfect fit for Charvarius Ward.
The San Francisco 49ers corner makes sense for the Pats because “Vrabel ran Quarters coverage at one of the highest rates in the NFL during his time in Tennessee,” according to Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus.
Cameron also noted how Ward, who won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2019 season, “ran plenty of Quarters looks in San Francisco, too — at the sixth-highest rate in the NFL.”
Snagging Ward, who’s one of the top-rated defensive backs set to test the veteran market, shouldn’t be beyond the cap-rich Patriots. He’d give Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams a cover man used to playing on the side away from second-team All-Pro Gonzalez.
This shutdown duo can be key to a new-look secondary set to be defined by coaching and a zone-based scheme different from the man coverage the Pats played for years under Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo.
Charvarius Ward Would Create Shutdown Duo for Patriots
Ward has established himself as somebody who plays his best football in the biggest games against the strongest opponents. Like when the 28-year-old shutout former team the Chiefs in last season’s Super Bowl, per PFF SF 49ers.
He wasn’t in peak form during the 2024 season, but Ward still only allowed a 61.5 completion percentage, despite being burned for a career-high five touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference.
Regardless of his struggles, Ward remained in shutdown form against the best in the league. Like when he limited Patrick Mahomes to a 47.9 passer rating in a Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs in Week 7, per Coach Yac.
Pairing Ward with Gonzalez, who allowed only six yards per target and a 55.7 completion percentage, would give the Patriots an advantage in the AFC East. It’s a division loaded with top wide receivers, including Miami Dolphins duo Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, as well as New York Jets stars Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson.
New England’s defense also has to deal with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen twice a season. The Pro Bowler has shredded the Pats for 2,576 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air across 13 regular season games, according to StatMuse.
This level of competition is why the Patriots are making schematic changes on the back end.
Mike Vrabel Making Scheme Changes in the Secondary
Vrabel has been busy remaking the coaching staff in his own image. It’s meant several assistants who worked for him with the Tennesee Titans have arrived at Gillette Stadium, including Scott Booker, who was in charge of the nickel defense for the Bills this season.
As Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and 247 Sports detailed, Brooker “has coached standout players like Kevin Byard.” The latter was an All-Pro and Pro Bowl safety while Booker and Vrabel worked together in Tennessee in 2021.
Meanwhile, podcast host Anthony Cover 1 told Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS how Booker helped the Bills overcome injuries at the nickel corner position: “Cam Lewis (the backup nickel who played when Taron Johnson was injured) played well in his stead. The Bills also regularly used dime this year and it was something they relied on regardless of if they had their full starters or not. I thought Cam Lewis took a step up this year and some of that could be attributed to Booker.”
Brooker’s arrival signals changes in the secondary that could be most pronounced at cornerback. Especially ESPN’s Mike Reiss confirmed position coach Mike Pellegrino won’t return.
Pellegrino “coached 3 All-Pros (Stephon Gilmore, J.C. Jackson, Christian Gonzalez),” and the “Patriots ranked in top 10 pass defense in 4 of his 6 seasons.”
What had been a team success gave up 27 touchdown passes and 45 completions of 20-plus yards this season. Those numbers prove Vrabel is right to change the coaching and scheme at both ends of the defense.
Changes in the secondary are more likely to work if a proven commodity like Ward is added to the ranks.
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