Patriots Camp Questions: No. 4 - Will Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings & Brandon Copeland plug Hightower gap?

We kicked off this series asking if linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley was ready to take on a major role this season, given the departures of Jamie Collins, Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts.

Well, in light of Dont'a Hightower's decision to opt-out of the 2020 season due to Covid-19 concerns, Bentley has gone from a question mark to a definitive statement: Bentley must be ready to take on a major role.

Sure, the Patriots can and probably will bring in a capable veteran starter at linebacker at some point — another Van Noy-esque reclamation project would be ideal, if someone similar can shake loose once teams actually start to practice and assess their rosters.

But they do have some internal options, even if they're not optimal and can't readily fill the shoes of a Hightower, who in many ways was the heart and soul of the defense — at the least in the front seven — and was often its biggest playmaker in clutch moments.

But, ideally, it starts with Bentley locking down the middle linebacker position. He's been in the system for two-plus years and shared the same locker room with experienced vets. The Patriots will need a point man to handle all the calls and checks. It needs to be Bentley.

If that happens, the Patriots have three options internally to fill Hightower's strongside inside linebacker/edge (on passing downs) position: draft picks Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings, and free agent Brandon Copeland.

A look at each, and their possible roles:



JOSH UCHE

Post-draft breakdown

At first blush, the second-round pick doesn't seem to be a great physical fit — and he might not be. While Uche's arm length helps make up for his lack of height, Uche is really light when it comes to slugging it out on the first two downs and taking on offensive linemen. That was where some of the Patriots' other linebackers (Roberts, for example) ran into trouble.

The other negative on Uche: a lack of strength, comparatively. While one of Hightower's great strengths was his, well, strength, Uche disappointed with just 18 225-pound bench press reps and that lack of power showed up on his college film (he's a speed player). The sight of Hightower basically bench pressing Seahawks LT Russell Okung to take down Marshawn Lynch solo in Super Bowl XLIX to set up Malcolm Butler's heroics should never be forgotten. That brute force at the point of attack against bigger players was probably Hightower's best talent.

But scouts and coaches polled by BSJ said they believe Uche, who did play off the ball at Michigan at times as their strongside linebacker, has the potential to fill Hightower's role. Don Brown, Uche's defensive coordinator at Michigan, was adamant Uche can do it. If Uche can take on guards in the run game, he could also transition to pass rusher on passing downs.

Expect Uche to get a strong look with these two others players in camp.

ANFERNEE JENNINGS

Post-draft breakdown

Physically, the third-round pick is physically a match for Hightower — and another Alabama prospect. And coming from Nick Saban's scheme, there will be some carryover.

Jennings has the ability, after playing on and off the ball at Alabama, to be a thumper inside and to take on blocks. But he doesn't get off them well, and his lack of speed in space is probably most concerning. He'd be more like a Brandon Spikes inside on early downs, but he can also go to the edge and rush the passer in those situations.

It could be wise for the Patriots to just split the job between them. The Patriots won't give a rookie something they can't handle, and they bring them along slowly. Having Jennings worry about the first two downs, and Uche third downs could be one way to bring them along as quickly as possible.

BRANDON COPELAND

After talking with people around the league, it would not be a shock to see the Jets' free agent get the first platoon opportunity for one big reason: his brain. The former Raven and Jet is a Penn graduate and Gregg Williams loved his smarts with the Jets.

Copeland also has the advantage of being a veteran, and he started out as a middle linebacker with the Ravens and played there with the Jets. He's better on the edge, but Copeland's physicality and smarts could lead him to a bigger role inside with the Patriots.

"I got to Baltimore and I thought I was going to be an outside linebacker," Copeland told reporters in May. "I get there and I’m a middle linebacker. So, from the jump, you go from going for it your entire life, to now, the year after Ray Lewis retires, now you’re making calls and to be quite honest with you, I remember thinking about – it’s funny thinking about it now – but I remember trying to learn coverages and I’m relating the certain drops in the coverage to the little colored bubbles on [inaudible]. For me, I think the University of Pennsylvania degree – just my ambition and understanding how to study and what works for me and what allows me to retain information – helped me fast track and learn how to play middle linebacker quick enough to keep my foot in the door in Baltimore to give me a chance to be here today, if that makes sense.

"What also happened that season, as well, in that fourth preseason game, I was sure I was probably going to be cut. I mean, I knew I had to be a camp body, to be quite honest with you. Looking at the linebacker room with Jameel McClain, Josh Bynes and Albert McClellan, who was here, a bunch of other guys. And the fourth preseason game, somebody went down right before and I played outside linebacker in a half, and in that old-school, fourth preseason game, you’re just trying to make it through. I had a bunch of tackles. I remember Ted Monachino calling from the sideline, telling me when to go and when to drop because I hadn’t practiced that at all the entire camp, but I did very well. I think I got like seven tackles in a quarter or something like that.

"And it’s funny thinking about it – that’s kind of my NFL career in terms of being able to be put in different situations and actually thrive. There wasn’t a class about this at Penn in terms of, ‘Hey, let’s be thrown into the fire or thrown into water and swim.’ But, being able to pick up information quickly and then use the athletic gifts to make sure that I can show off my talents, as well, has helped me and eight years later has worked out."

Did I mention he was smart?