Patriots: Kyle Arrington shows his worth

Over the past few seasons the Patriots have retooled their roster in search of the right mix to put them over the top for a fourth Super Bowl. Yet there have been a few consistent players who have come to represent the team: Tom Brady, Vince Wilfork, Devin McCourty and yes, Kyle Arrington.

A former lightning rod for criticism among Patriots fans, Arrington entered the season playing more snaps than any Patriot besides Brady, McCourty, and Dan Connolly since 2010 (not including Arrington’s special team snaps). During that time he has outlasted seven defensive backs brought in through trade, free agency, or the top two rounds of the draft. Now part of a more talented backfield, Arrington is rewarding the Patriots with a strong season so far; his current +5.3 overall grade is higher than any single season mark in his career.

Arrington has allowed just 0.7 Yards per Cover Snap, which ranks eighth-best among cornerbacks, and drops to 0.67 when covering the slot. He’s also played relatively mistake-free football, with only one missed tackle, and zero penalties. Not just a cover man Arrington has also chipped in a sack, two forced fumbles, plus a fumble recovery for a touchdown.