The Sports Xchange

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — A year ago at this time, Malcolm Butler was an undrafted rookie out of Division II West Alabama simply trying to make enough practice and preseason plays to stick around with the New England Patriots.

By February, Butler, a surprise to make the regular-season roster, had started one game and seen minimal playing time before he clinched the Patriots’ fourth Super Bowl title with one of the great clutch plays in sports history.

Now, the confident youngster might be the only known commodity in head coach Bill Belichick’s new-look New England secondary.

The offseason free-agent departures of 2014 starters Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner as well as the release of former starters Kyle Arrington and Alfonzo Dennard ensured that the Patriots’ defensive backfield would be quite different when the team begins its title defense in September.

So far this summer, Butler has actually been the only constant in the back end. He has taken virtually every rep with the first defense at the left cornerback spot formerly held by Revis.

It hasn’t all been roses — Butler was targeted and beaten badly with regularity by Saints quarterback Drew Brees during joint practice sessions in West Virginia last week — but it has been clear that the second-year Super Bowl hero is being counted on for a key starting role at a key position.

“It’s an honor to have that spot,” Butler said. “I have to work hard each and every practice, each and every game, and play like my position is on the line. I’m just going to come out here and work as hard as I can to keep my spot, and be productive and consistent. That’s all I can do.”

Things are so up in the air in the pass defense in Foxborough that the unit’s best player — captain and returning second-team All-Pro safety Devin McCourty — isn’t even assured of his spot.

McCourty has been taking practice reps at right cornerback, where he started the Patriots’ second preseason game in New Orleans.

A first-round pick and Pro Bowler at cornerback as a rookie in 2010, McCourty’s play fell off so much at that position that he transitioned to the safety spot he has held down the last three seasons.

McCourty has made it quite clear he does not want to return to the cornerback position. He also said after his 21 snaps at the position against the Saints, “I don’t think it looked great.”

Putting McCourty at cornerback again could be as simple as Belichick planning ahead for emergencies and keeping his versatile players in tune.

Or it could be a commentary on the talent at the position that includes veteran newcomers Tarell Brown, Bradley Fletcher and Robert McClain (slot) as well as returning third-year player Logan Ryan, who has struggled mightily this summer.

Regardless, the Patriots’ secondary is, like the passes it’s trying to defend, very much up in the air right now.

The only sure thing at this point seems to be the fact that Butler will make his second career start on opening day as he tries to fill the big shoes left by Revis.

The Patriots’ pass defense will have a much different look this fall and based on the rotation of reps of late, not even Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia are sure what exactly that look will be at this point.

–Wide receiver Reggie Wayne agreed on a deal with New England on Monday. Wayne, who has spent his entire career until now with the Colts, will join a Patriots receiving corps that has been battered with injuries this summer. Wayne had 1,070 catches in his 14 seasons in Indianapolis along with eight 1,000-yard seasons. He caught 64 passes for 779 yards and two scores last fall as he worked back from a torn ACL suffered a year earlier.

On his weekly appearance on WEEI radio in Boston on Monday, head coach Bill Belichick commented on his new receiver.

“He’s certainly had a great career and has done a lot of things for the Colt organization, primarily playing on the left but then in more recent years being moved around to playing on the right and also in some slot situations,” Belichick told WEEI. “I think he has a lot of versatility and obviously he has a lot of experience, so we’ll just have to see how it goes.”

Notes: Wide receiver Brandon Gibson was placed on injured reserve on Monday after sustaining a reported torn ACL in the Week 2 preseason game in New Orleans. The veteran first-year Patriot had been in the midst of a solid summer that had him likely slotted as the Patriots’ No. 4 receiver role. Gibson joined New England as a free agent from the Dolphins, where he also previously tore an ACL. … Quarterback Tom Brady started and played three series against the Saints, all three-and-outs. Brady has started each of the first two preseason games during his controversial summer of work as his appeal of his four-game suspension remains in the hands of lawyers and judges. In two games, he has played only five series.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski dressed but did not play in the Patriots’ preseason game in New Orleans. Gronkowski is healthy and has not missed any practice time this summer, but has yet to step on the field through two weeks of preseason action.