The Patriots biggest needs – offensive line, defensive line, and wide receiver – are obvious. When it comes to the cornerback position, it’s not as glaring but it’s a sneaky big need in New England.
Besides Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots have one cornerback signed through the 2025 season – Marcellus Dial.
Last year’s No. 2 corner, Jonathan Jones, is headed to free agency. A source told MassLive, at the Combine, that Jones would need to take a pay cut to stay with the Patriots and could be headed elsewhere. The Patriots have a slot cornerback in Marcus Jones, but the team needs to add a solid outside receiver to play with Gonzalez, fresh off an All-Pro season.
The good news is that this year’s free agent class has solid depth. The Patriots, who have the most cap space in the NFL, will have the option of adding a starting-caliber outside cornerback to play with Gonzalez. They have their choices of players in their prime, experienced veterans, and some with ties to the Patriots coaching staff.
Here are five options:
Charvarious Ward
If the Patriots are looking to add a former All-Pro to play with their current All-Pro, Charvarious Ward is the player to look for. In 2023, he finished with an NFL-high 23 passes defended to go with a career-high five interceptions. His dominance that season led to him being named a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro. The 28-year-old had a down season last year, finishing with seven pass breakups and no interceptions in 12 games. He missed time due to a knee injury and due to a personal matter.
Carlton Davis
If the Patriots are looking to pair Gonzalez with a legitimate cornerback, Carlton Davis would be a fine choice. The 28-year-old was in Detroit last season with new Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams. He started all 13 games played for the Lions, finishing with two interceptions and 11 passes defended. He was a standout cornerback for Tampa Bay from 2018-2023.
D.J. Reed
If the Patriots want to add a bona fide cornerback in his prime, D.J. Reed would be a great option. He’s a superb cover corner, who would make life miserable for opposing receivers if playing opposite of Gonzalez. Reed spent the last three seasons with the New York Jets. He finished with 64 tackles and 11 pass breakups last season. Pro Football Focus has him ranked as the top cornerback available in free agency.
Asante Samuel Jr.
After playing with his father, and former Patriots All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel, will Mike Vrabel turn to Asante Samuel Jr.? That would be a fun storyline. A 5-foot-10 cornerback, Samuel Jr. was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round in 2021. He’s started 47 of 50 games played in four seasons. He had two interceptions each year in his first three seasons. Last year, he played in four games due to a shoulder injury.
Rasul Douglas
Another experienced cornerback, Douglas would be a solid choice to play opposite of Gonzalez. The 29-year-old started 15 games last season for the Buffalo Bills. New Patriots safeties coach Scott Booker was on that staff. Douglas finished with 58 tackles and five pass breakups. In the previous three seasons, he finished with 14 combined interceptions and 40 passes defended.
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