Patriots cornerback Kyle Arrington's life is about to change in a big way, as his wife is expecting the couple’s first child in about two weeks.
That might not be the only significant change this offseason. Arrington is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and thus, anything is possible.
“I love my teammates, I enjoy being here and definitely want things to work out; there’s mutual interest on both sides as far as trying to get something done. [But] it’s a business,” Arrington said during an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio’s “Late Hits” program on Friday with co-hosts Howard David and Keith Bulluck. “So you just have to let it play out and see where the chips fall.”
Arrington finished the season as the Patriots’ No. 3 cornerback, viewed as the team’s best option in the slot. Prior to the midseason acquisition of Aqib Talib, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Arrington was a starter, playing in the base defense on the outside and then moving into the slot in sub packages.
That could ultimately determine whether Arrington returns to New England; if another team views him as a starter and pays him accordingly, it could lead to his departure.
Two other soundbites from Arrington's Sirius interview:
What it means to do things a Patriots-type way: “I think it’s just being the ultimate professional and team player. Take Tom [Brady] as the latest example, what he did with his contract, for the team. A lot of things play into it -- professionalism, things like that. It’s not a hard thing to buy in to.”
What he brings to a potential team as a free-agent signee based on his time with the Patriots: “Tough, smart, physical. Versatile -- outside and inside. Love playing in the kicking game -- that’s one of the things where you get a lot of guys, especially older veterans, who [say] ‘that’s for the young guys.’ But honestly, I love running down there, especially on kickoff, trying to hit somebody. ... We preach situational football and there are a lot of things I’ve learned under the Patriots and Bill [Belichick], in particular, that aren’t harped on with any other team. We have veterans who have been in other programs that come in and say the same thing.”