Duron Harmon continues to solidify New England secondary

FOXBORO — Duron Harmon grew up in the tiny town of Magnolia, Del. — population 225 or so — while Logan Ryan was raised http://www.authenticsteelersshop.com/shop-by-players-anthony-chickillo-jersey-c-2_74.html about 100 miles north in the leafy enclave of Berlin, N.J.
The two defensive backs met as freshmen at Rutgers late in the summer of 2009. They would go on to spend four seasons playing together for the Scarlet Knights, Harmon at safety and Ryan at cornerback, before both were drafted by the Patriots in 2013.
Providence Journal - Daily ...
Fittingly enough, they were selected pretty close to one another. Ryan was taken in the third round with the 83rd overall selection and Harmon went eight picks later.
The two spent another four seasons together before parting ways in March. Harmon signed a four-year deal worth upward of $20 million to remain in New England while Logan headed to Tennessee after accepting the Titans’ offer of three years and $30 million.
“I played with him for eight years straight, so to not have him in the locker room or talking to me during stretching is a little weird, but time will pass,” Harmon said on Friday during a break in training camp.
“There’s turnover on this team each and every year. You get used to the guys who aren’t here and you get used to the guys who are here. We have a good group of DBs and I’m excited to work with them.”
Anxious was the word on Saturday after Harmon, who underwent offseason ankle surgery, went down following a collision in the end zone during 11-on-11 work in the first padded practice of camp. He walked gingerly off the field after banging up his right knee and didn’t finish practice.
However, Harmon participated in post-workout stretching drills with the rest of the team and afterward spent time playing catch with his two sons and chatting with his wife.
“I’m good, thanks for asking,” he smiled and shouted to an acquaintance at one point.
So it appears Harmon is fine, which is terrific news for a team seeking its third Lombardi Trophy in the last four seasons.
Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung start at safety for the Patriots, but the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Harmon is a key component of a defense that http://www.authenticdolphinsjerseys.com/shop-by-players-mike-pouncey-jersey-c-1_42.html allowed the fewest points in the league last season.
Harmon has appeared in 73 straight games (playoffs included) since sitting out Week 1 of his rookie season. He played 48.6 percent of the defensive snaps in the regular season last year — the highest total among defensive reserves — and saw that spike to 58.8 percent in the playoffs.
Harmon had one interception in the regular season before matching that total with a pick against the Houston Texans in the AFC divisional round. He had three tackles against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, tying his career-high.
“He’s been a guy who, to me, has just gotten better each year he’s been here,” McCourty said. “The amount of work he puts in on and off the field, Du does a great job. He watches other safeties, he watches games from 2001, 2002 just trying to get better as a player.
“So that’s been great to see and obviously I was extremely happy when he shot me the text to say he was coming back.”
Harmon saw plenty of familiar faces when he returned to Gillette Stadium to begin offseason training in April. And lots of new ones, as well, as the Patriots added cornerback Stephon Gilmore, receiver Brandin Cooks and tight end Dwayne Allen.
Like the rest of New England, Harmon was thrilled to see the Patriots weren’t content to stand pat after their victory in Super Bowl LI.
“That just shows you this is a team that is Letroy Guion Womens Jersey always looking to get better — never complacent,” Harmon said. “The players aren’t complacent, the coaches aren’t complacent and the organization isn’t complacent. I think when you have that type of mindset ... it’s easy for the players not to get complacent.
“We know that we have to continue to get better. We have to continue to work. We have to do everything that we did — and more — last year to try to do what we want to do again.”