The New England Patriots might not be signing the top name players that some were hoping for, but they are making some big time moves to significantly impact the defense, which severely underperformed during the 2024 season.
They began the legal tampering period on Monday by signing a familiar face to Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel, signing linebacker Robert Spillane who will inevitably bring great experience and leadership to the roster. This was after having already signed linebacker Harold Landry over the weekend, a former Titan who played for Vrabel for six years.
They then made another splash on defense by signing one of the top free agent cornerbacks of the 2025 free agent class, former Lion Carlton Davis, to a three year deal worth $60 million.
Comp update: It’s $34.5M fully guaranteed for Carlton Davis to the #Patriots, per sources. https://t.co/3VM62KIfSR
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 10, 2025
Besides adding a trusted veteran corner to their defense, Davis couldn't be a better partner for Christian Gonzalez to own the secondary with during the 2025 season.
Patriots signing Carlton Davis means they will have one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL
The Patriots cornerback room has been a bit problematic in recent years, which made the rise of Gonzalez over the past two years even more significant. He rose to stardom as a rookie, even through just three games before suffering a season-ending injury against the Cowboys, and picked up where he left off during the 2024 season.
It put him into the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year, but instead, he was named a Second-Team All-Pro and recognized as one of the best in the position in the NFL. That's partly why cornerback was inevitably going to be a priority this offseason, making the Davis signing that much better.
His familiarity with defensive coordinator Terrell Williams makes for an easy connection, making his move to New England much easier, and his impact on the field will make the Patriots defense better almost immediately.
As the 19th-ranked cornerback by PFF last season, with Gonzalez ranked 13th, Davis can bring a lot to the cornerback room. Over the last two seasons, he recorded 108 combined tackles, two for a loss, four interceptions, 20 passes defended, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
That's the kind of production the defense needs, and Gonzalez can ultimately learn from it, too, making the group that much more elite.