The New England Patriots have put together one of the better defenses in football. They rank second against the run, 13th against the pass, and No. 5 overall. The numbers are impressive, no doubt, but the unit isn't without its shortcomings; it ranks 21st in sacks per game and has struggled to generate much more than coverage sacks against inferior offensive lines.
A second issue has been the Patriots' cornerback room. Over the last few weeks, Carlton Davis III has looked very solid and has been a nice complement to Christian Gonzalez, who's one of the league's best. Marcus Jones has been among the best slot corners in football, and he just had his third interception of the year against the Bengals in Week 12.
Beyond the top three, there's a bit of a drop-off. Marcellas Dial, a 2024 sixth-round pick, tore his ACL in training camp, leaving room for an extra cornerback on the depth chart. Alex Austin and D.J. James entered the year as the fourth and fifth options, but the Patriots also added Charles Woods after he was released by the Rams.
James was released in September, and Austin fell to Woods in the depth chart before being placed on IR in November. Preseason standout and freak athlete Miles Battle was elevated from the practice squad, but he is a depth piece at best. Woods isn't at a high enough level to be the CB4 yet, and the Patriots should add someone to bridge the gap between him and Jones.
The New England Patriots didn't submit a waiver claim for veteran CB Darius Slay Jr. (but they should have)
Darius Slay Jr., who was waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers upon mutual agreement, was claimed by the Patriots' division rival Buffalo Bills, who subsequently released Ja'Marcus Ingram despite him being a sound depth piece for their backfield over the last two years.
While it's been rumored that Slay won't suit up for the Bills this season, he would have been a really solid addition in New England. Slay finished last season with a 73.3 Pro Football Focus grade for the Philadelphia Eagles, a season that included two 84-plus graded games against the Commanders and Packers. He was a starter and had two tackles in last year's Super Bowl.
The drop off after the first three cornerbacks in New England is apparent. Woods has been sound when called upon, but he has 75 career snaps in two seasons under his belt. For a team looking to be the No. 1 seed and make a push for the Super Bowl, relying on such inexperience seems foolish.
While Slay isn't the player he once was, he'd be a far better option as a fourth cornerback than anyone New England has currently. We'll see if Slay will actually play with Buffalo, but I'd expect him to be a solid depth piece for a playoff team should he put the pads back on.
With Slay out, New England may have to turn to other veterans during their playoff push. Former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore could be a name to watch. Cam Sutton is a solid veteran, and Caleb Farley was a first round-pick by head coach Mike Vrabel in 2021.
The Patriots should be in the market for a veteran cornerback, but it won't be Darius Slay.