It’s quite unlikely given current circumstances, but it’s not impossible. McCourty is still an above-average athlete who can contribute significantly for another three to four years at the position. He has earned (but could use more) individual recognition, contributed to championship teams and garnered widespread acclaim from the media. To have any shot of winning, he needs to increase his interception total to at least 52.
Whether you agree or not, interceptions have a disproportionately large impact on a defensive back’s sense of accomplishment. Although McCourty is a top-tier safety, he has never been asked to actively pursue interceptions in favor of preventing huge plays.
This may be beginning to shift, though. While it’s highly unlikely that he’ll have a similar year, he did just have his most interception-filled season (five) since 2012.
In the last few years, teams have increasingly prioritized deep passing, and they have increased the frequency of passes overall. Despite having one of the league’s deepest and most complete collections of cornerbacks, the Patriots were not particularly effective at stopping the run or creating pressure last season.
This, combined with a stagnant offensive unit, left them vulnerable to being beaten badly. The run defense won’t be as important if the offense improves (the TEs are better, the WRs are healthier/more experienced, the OL should be better, and Cam offers a new element).
As a result of being behind in the game, opponents are more likely to resort to passing, which means more opportunities for JC Jackson to shut down the slot, Gilmore to shut down his guy, and J Mac or Jones to benefit from a lack of pressure on shorter passes. McCourty, thanks to his experience and skill, is capable of recording six or seven interceptions annually in such a setting.