Throughout free agency New York Jets fans nervously deliberated about the state of the team's cornerbacks.
General manager John Idzik passed on a chance to bring back Darrelle Revis, missed on Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and did not reunite with Antonio Cromartie.
Instead Idzik brought in former Miami Dolphins cornerback Dimitri Patterson. The 30-year-old corner believes his familiarity with the AFC East will be beneficial to Rex Ryan.
"I've been asked to do what Cromartie was asked to do," Patterson said Wednesday, per ESPN New York. "Do I have a high profile? No. Do I have the biggest name? No. But I've covered the same receivers, and I've held up extremely well against the same receivers, the elite guys.
"I don't have a high-profile name, but I'll put my film (up) with anybody's. That's the reality of the situation."
Patterson is slotted as the second starting corner alongside 2013 first-rounder Dee Milliner -- who didn't practice Wednesday because of a hamstring injury.
Since going undrafted in 2005, Patterson has shown flashes of ability but has bounced around the league. In the past two seasons he has struggled to stay healthy, appearing in six and nine games, respectively.
Still, in just six games in 2013 he intercepted four passes.
"The reality is, (injuries are) the only thing they can find negative to say about me," Patterson said. "When you look at my career, I've been in (the league) nine years -- the last two years I had an ankle and I had a groin. My first six, seven years, I had no injuries."
With questions looming about Milliner's growth and solid corner play essential for Ryan's defense to function, a healthy Patterson looks to play a pivotal role in 2014.
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