FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots announced the release of undrafted rookie cornerback Eric Patterson of Ball State on Tuesday. Patterson was a longshot to make the roster, and the move comes a day after the Patriots added veteran cornerback Derek Cox.
So let's reset the team's cornerback personnel with a projected depth chart:
1. Logan Ryan (5-foot-11, 195 pounds). The 2013 third-round draft choice has started 13 games over his first two years, with seven interceptions.
2. Bradley Fletcher (6-0, 200). Seven-year veteran signed from the Eagles on Wednesday has the most starting experience, which gives him the nod for now.
3. Malcolm Butler (5-11, 190). He was on the field for just 16.6 percent of the defensive snaps in 2014 but everyone saw his upside in the Super Bowl. He hasn't been practicing in OTAs for undisclosed reasons.
4. Robert McClain (5-9, 195). Has played both in the slot and outside, with 15 starts over the past three seasons in Atlanta.
5. Darryl Roberts (6-0, 182). Seventh-round draft choice out of Marshall has a nice opportunity if he can seize it.
6. Dax Swanson (5-11, 191). A first-year player out of Sam Houston State, he spent parts of last season on the team's practice squad.
7. Justin Green (5-11, 195). A second-year player out of Illinois, he hopes to break through from the practice squad.
8. Derek Cox (6-1, 195). Was out of football last season after playing for the Jaguars (2009-2012) and Chargers (2013). Spent last offseason with the Vikings and was briefly with the Ravens.
9, Jimmy Jean (6-3, 180). Undrafted free agent out of Alabama-Birmingham had an interception in last week's organized team activity and initially caught the Patriots' eye with his work in the kicking game.
(Safety Devin McCourty has position flexibility to return to cornerback, as that is the position he played when entering the NFL. So he could also be a consideration depending on how things unfold.)
