Bedard's Breakdown: Unusual addition of LB Erick Hunter highlights Patriots' new defensive trio

Analyzing the film and projecting roles for the Patriots' newest defensive additions - linebackers Erick Hunter and Darius Muasau, and safety Jaylen Reed:

ERICK HUNTER, LB, 23 years old

Strengths:

• Really good athlete for the off-ball linebacker position, especially in coverage against tight ends. He's long at 6-3, 222, with long arms and big hands. He had a standout interception in Lions camp where Jared Goff was trying to go to Sam LaPorta in the back of the end zone.
• Stood out on special teams, but the Lions were full up there with 3-4 special teams-only players already entrenched.
• Shows good strength on tackles and blitzing.

Weaknesses:

• Really, really raw.
• Doesn't really know how to play the position yet.
• Needs to learn to read his keys and anticipate the play.
• Doesn't change direction well in a back pedal. Better straight-ahead speed than agility.
• His pursuit is not relentless on film.

Possible role this season once he gets up to speed with the playbook: It's possible he could eventually have a role where he matches up with certain tight ends, but that's probably a ways off. He's very much a future bet, and an unusual one at that. Hunter was released by the Lions and went unclaimed (the Patriots just could have done that). It feels like the Lions and the Patriots wanted to sign Hunter to their practice squads. Hunter was probably going to stick with the Lions unless the Patriots stepped up their offer, and they decided to give him a 53-man roster spot. It's highly unusual for a team to sign a UDFA to their roster from another team. Normally it's a practice squad spot. Possibly a waiver claim. This tells me someone in the Patriots' building really liked Flowers during the draft process, and they probably wanted to draft him late, but it just didn't work out. He could grab a role on special teams in the near-term.

Does he have a long-term future here?: We'll see, but it feels like it. I think this is basically an extended tryout for Hunter, to see if it's a good fit for the team. Usually, as we said, that happens on the practice squad. But the Patriots obviously like Hunter enough to use a 53-man spot for a tryout. I could see someone from Mike Vrabel's Titans regime seeing Hunter as a taller David Long. 

Is he an upgrade over what the Patriots previously had?: Not right now. This is very much a future bet, and the Patriots hope he develops into that over the next year-plus.

DARIUS MUASAU, LB, 25

Strengths: 

• Experienced after he was pressed into service due to injuries with the Giants, with 27 games and 18 starts.
• Good special teams player.
• When he knows where he's going, he's quick to the ball and a good tackler.
• He's basically a younger, smaller, cheaper Christian Elliss — down to the 53 he wore with the Giants — who is in the final year of his deal.
• Vrabel said he can play the Mike and the Will spots. He played Will for the Giants.
• Decent blitzer.
• Good effort and pursuit.
• Shows promise in coverage.

Weaknesses:

• Can be late reading his keys and to the ball as a result.
• Ok tackler, not a great one.
• Not great strength in tackling and blitzing.

Possible role this season once he gets up to speed with the playbook: Backup to Christian Elliss. I don't think he supplants him. Could also fill in for Robert Spillane at MLB.

Does he have a long-term future here?: He'll get a chance to stay with Elliss in the final year of his deal. Basically, between Muasau, Hunter, Khalil Jacobs, and Nmadi Obiazor — and whatever they add in the draft and free agency — there will be an open tryout at linebacker next year to replace Elliss, and groom Spillane's successor.

Is he an upgrade over what the Patriots previously had?: Yes, right now, but only because Obiazor and Jacobs are rookies. That might not be the case the entire season.

JAYLEN REED, S, 23

Strengths: 

• Good speed, range for the position.
• Good in coverage, evidenced by the Texans not being afraid to match him up against Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry in the playoff game.
• Doesn't make a lot of mistakes or get out of position. Smart.
• Liked him as a lurker and anticipating crossing patterns.

Weaknesses:

• Doesn't play with reckless abandon, which is probably why the Texans deemed him expendable. They look for fast and overly physical players. Reed isn't quite that.
• Not great on open-field tackles.

Possible role this season once he gets up to speed with the playbook: I'm not really sure. His film as the Texans' third safety (often played with two high to allow Jalen Pitre to play in the box ala Patrick Chung) was pretty boring. They didn't ask much of him. Basically, they asked him not to get beat. I think he'll compete eventually with Dell Pettus to be the third safety. Not sure if that means Reed would be in the box. They may want Craig Woodson there, and Reed would be a better deep fit with Byard than Pettus, who is strictly a box player. I'm sure special teams will be Reed's first priority.

Does he have a long-term future here?: Probably, but he'll have to earn that this season, or else they'll go into the draft or free agency if Kevin Byard is just a one-year player. Like linebacker, this addition is about preparing for next season and building real depth.

Is he an upgrade over what the Patriots previously had?: Yes, only because the Patriots didn't really have an alternative in Mike Brown or John Saunders. Reed is their developmental safety, and he has two games' worth of playoff experience.