Patriots CB Logan Ryan will be hitting free agency on March 9th, and estimates say that he may be signed for between $9-$11 million per year. This price tag could make him the 8th most highly paid corner in the league, a steep price for a player that may not even be the best corner on his team. However, New England should match any offer up to $11 million because of the value Ryan offers to the team.

In the modern, pass-happy NFL, there is no such thing as an excess of talent in the secondary. The nickel package, featuring five defensive backs, has become the most commonly used personnel grouping, and teams need the right players to run it. This means having at least three corners that the team feels comfortable having on the field for the majority of the game. Last year, New England settled into a grouping that played extremely well down the stretch: Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, and Eric Rowe. Butler and Ryan have both played inside and outside and have shut down opponents’ top threats. The 6’1″ Eric Rowe offered the size to compete with big receivers and play outside the numbers. This grouping held the record setting Falcons offense to 21 points and kept them scoreless over the last 23 minutes of the game.

Ryan has been a remarkable player throughout his four years in New England. In his rookie season, he gathered 5 INT’s in 7 starts, returning one for a touchdown and playing in every game. The next season, Ryan would be buried on the depth chart behind All-Pro Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, but he would bounce back in 2015 with 14 starts and an 85.3 grade from PFF. This season, the fourth-year corner would grade at 83.5 and have a dominant performance in the divisional round against the Houston Texans, allowing just a 10.7 QBR when thrown against and grading out at 92.2.

The 26-year-old CB is worth a high price because of the versatility he offers. Ryan has proven an ability to play both man and zone coverage at a high level, both from the slot and outside the numbers. Ryan has followed a team’s top receiver and shut him down. He has shown a consistent ability to tackle, and he flashed ability to blitz out of the secondary. However, Ryan’s highest value may come from the Patriots depth chart at corner. After the team’s three starters, the next three players and Justin Coleman, Cyrus Jones, and Jonathan Jones. All three have shown potential, but none have shown that they are capable of filling the role that Ryan leaving would open. $11 million might sound like a lot for a #2 corner, but it is a cheap price to pay for consistency in at a position that is so important.