FOXBORO, Mass. – New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick congratulated himself Wednesday morning on one of his weekly video conferences.
Belichick praised outside supporter Derek Rivers. He even said he’d missed seeing the media in person. (Not really.)
But Belichick saved his biggest fortune for 2019 fifth-round recruit Byron Cowart, who played only five games and won 44 shots overall last season while buried in the intensity panel defensive take Danny Shelton, Lawrence Guy and Adam Butler.
Shelton left, and his possible nose replacement, Beau Allen, has not yet taken up the education floor in front of the media this summer. That leaves about 500 defensive shots for the Patriots to fill their defensive line next season.
Cowart, at this stage, is the favorite to play a more vital role, we will have to do a reorganization on the defensive line. Danny Shelton is a large human being who weighs 6 feet 2 inches and weighs 345 pounds. Cowart is a slightly less large human being who measures 6 feet 3 inches and weighs three hundred pounds. Shelton’s departure and Allen’s disappearance may force Lawrence Guy to pat more on the nose while Butler and Cowart fill the midfield with defensive take and strong wing.
And although Cowart doesn’t have the mass of Shelton and Guy, he makes up for it with his athletics.
“He’s a very strong and very physical player,” Belichick said Wednesday morning. ‘I think he’s one of the most explosive players we’ve ever had or have. But, for him, it’s a lot of fun and strategy and he’s made a lot of progress in the last 12 months here since he was at education camp last year, and I think it’s happening to continue, hopefully, to pass. Up. I think your quick-pass strategies have come a long way. DeMarcus (Covington) and Joe Kim have worked very hard with him to expand the things that will, not necessarily what some other player does or does not, but they seek to use their strengths and abilities.
” (Cowart) has more racing experience than in passes. I would say that his progression in both spaces is important, but he probably made more expansion in the peak passing zone, just because he didn’t do so much.”
Covington, the Patriots’ defensive line coach, said the Patriots “expect things” from Cowart this season.
Cowart, a five-star rookie who left Armwood High School in Seffner, Florida, before proceeding to play in Auburn and Maryland, was promising as a pre-season pin last summer, recording nine pressures, adding up two catches and two. Field Marshal attacks, on only 71 chances by land last summer. With Kim, a martial arts expert who specializes in running with a butterfly hunter as the Patriots’ and Covington’s skill progression trainer, Cowart can be a force in the middle of New England defense with his mix of size, explosiveness and pedigree.