Overlooked position could supply several key roster battles this summer

The New England Patriots have one of the best defenses in football. While the defensive interior is no doubt impressive, the team's crown jewel is its secondary. With four of the five starters from 2025 returning and All-Pro Kevin Byard added in place of Jaylinn Hawkins, the unit looks poised for another great season.

Within the defensive backfield, the cornerbacks are particularly impressive at the top. Christian Gonzalez is a bona fide star, while Marcus Jones established himself as one of the best slot corners in the league last season. Carlton Davis had a strong playoff run after an up-and-down regular season that included a pair of interceptions in the divisional round against the Texans.

While the starting cornerbacks are among the best in the league, the depth at the cornerback position is questionable at best. Both Alex Austin and Miles Battle left during the offseason, meaning the team will need to find new depth at the position. With eight non-starting cornerbacks rostered, this summer is sure to provide us with a fascinating camp battle.

The cornerback position battle will be one to watch this summer

While the team's depth is mostly unproven, there are certainly front-runners for the two or three depth roles the Patriots will need to fill ahead of the 2026 season. The team added veteran Kindle Vildor in free agency, who's missed only five tackles in the last three years.

They also selected Karon Prunty in the fifth round from Wake Forest. The ex-Demon Deacon played at Kansas and then NC A&T before playing for the ACC squad in his fifth season of college football. He allowed a sub-50% completion rate there.

Last season's fourth cornerback was somewhat thrust into the role, but Charles Woods should be among the frontrunners to make the squad. He played 154 snaps last season, 60.3% of which came in Week 15 onwards. His respectable playoff performance should see him have an inside track to make the roster.

While the aforementioned three have the best chance to break the 53 in my eyes, it doesn't mean an outsider couldn't try to break into the fold. 2025 Mr. Irrelevant, Kobee Minor, saw special teams action towards the end of 2025, while special teams was Marcellas Dial's calling card in 2024 before his ACL tear in 2025. Each of them could find a role as a key special teamer early in the summer and eventually work their way into the rotation.

Additionally, the team brought back 2025 UDFA Brandon Crossley, who spent the preseason with the team last season. Across four preseason games, he managed an impressive 90.1 PFF grade, allowing only four catches for 29 yards on 7 targets (57.4%). They also signed TCU's Channing Canada and Oklahoma State's Kenneth Harris as UDFAs.

While the Patriots have one of the top cornerback groups in football, their depth is somewhat questionable. While that might be a concern now, it could also lead to some hard-fought competitions in camp that bring out the best in the young group: aside from Vildor, no cornerback has spent more than three seasons in the NFL. This should be an exciting summer for the Patriots' secondary without a doubt.

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