Chase Winovich Living Up To Pre-Draft Hype In Second Season

The New England Patriots got linebacker Chase Winovich in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft and he is living his pre-draft hype. The Patriots used him in pass-rush situations in his rookie campaign.

About 82% of Wino’s defensive snaps happened against the pass in 2019 when he was on the field for 28.9% of total defensive plays. In the season opener against the Miami Dolphins, the linebacker was on the field for 68% of total defensive snaps and 62.5 percent of snaps against the pass. Wino played 42 total defensive snaps with 27 coming as a pass rusher and 15 as a run defender.

Chase Winovich is keeping his hype alive

Winovich has an expanded role because the team lost four linebackers from last year’s roster. Dont’a Hightower decided to opt out for the 2020 NFL season. Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Roberts left the team in free agency.

“I think Chase has been a good player for us and that he played well last year,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Sunday. “Now he’s the most experienced player along with John Simon.

“So, that shifted quickly in a year, but Chase has done a good job for us on all downs. When he played last year he was productive on a per-play basis and I thought he showed that today. But Chase has got good energy, he’s in good condition, he’s got good stamina, he’s got speed, he’s got power and he’s a very instinctive player. So, I would expect him to be out on the field a good part of the time in all games.”

2020 is important

The linebacker tried really hard to become a complete player this offseason. He did good in Week 1. Winovich led the Patriots with two quarterback hurries and three run stops as he played right and left outside the position.

“When you have to be concerned with every single down and every single type of situation, that’s where knowledge and experience as a football player come into play,” Winovich said Monday. “Every week, I’m looking forward to whatever challenges come my way. Obviously, there’s more things that you have to prepare for trying to be an every-down kind of player. I’m embracing that challenge, and we’ve got great coaches and great teammates to really help guide my learning and make my play on the field as best as possible.”

Winovich was working with linebackers coaches Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick in an effort to learn the entire playbook.