The cornerback position of the New England Patriots was always going to receive the most scrutiny in 2015. The team had won the Super Bowl thanks to cornerbacks Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, and Kyle Arrington, and then all three were gone. The Patriots effectively turned over the entire position from a star-studded group to a one-hit wonder in Malcolm Butler and a bunch of nobodies.
They exceeded all of the possible expectations.
Butler became a legitimate #1 cornerback in his first season as a starter and he'll only get better next season.