Father Time is undefeated, but Devin McCourty isn't worried about the passage of time as much as he is about working.
McCourty is playing on what will likely be his final contract in New England, and the Patriots selected his presumptive replacement in Lenoir-Rhyne's Kyle Dugger during Friday's second round. That doesn't bother McCourty, who successfully campaigned for himself and his brother to get another shot at playing together in New England in 2020, and is now more focused on the upcoming season and helping the rookie succeed than he is about the threat of Dugger taking his job.
"For me, it has always been how can I help?" McCourty said, via MassLive. "My second year in New England we drafted Ras-I Dowling and until this day, that is one of my good friends because we always used to go out to dinner, always talk. I think that is how you have to see it. You never compete with a guy at your position because you never go against each other. You are battling at the position, but the competition is against the receivers on your team, then eventually the preseason games, the regular season.
"I have always tried to develop great bonds with guys who have come in there. I think that is part of being a leader and I think that is part of who you want to be as a person. That is what I love... I am excited to get Kyle in there."
Dowling, like Dugger, was a second-round selection who could have replaced McCourty in New England's defensive backfield. He instead played 12 games in his injury-hampered career before hanging it up at the end of the 2014 season.
McCourty, meanwhile, is still going strong, signing a two-year, $23 million deal to stay in New England through his age-34 season. His brother, Jason, will be in New England through 2020 before reaching free agency in 2021.
Dugger, a small-school prospect with plenty of upside, will get the chance to learn from both.
"I have talked to him," McCourty said. "Kid is ready to work. Got to appreciate that."
