McCourty, who was ranked No. 2 on our list of 101 free agents set to hit the market, would have been extremely difficult for the Patriots to replace. There just aren't that many good "centerfield" safeties in the league, and McCourty has grown into a leadership position on the New England defense. Of the current Patriots, McCourty has always seemed like the successor to Vince Wilfork as the Patriots' defender likely to remain with the team for a decade. (As Wilfork, Willie McGinest, and many others know, there aren't many "Patriots for life.")