The New England Patriots entered the 2025 NFL offseason with many roster weaknesses to address, and cornerback was one of them.
Rising star Christian Gonzalez enjoyed a breakout 2024 season with 59 total tackles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and 11 pass breakups. He covered No. 1 wide receivers on a weekly basis and did a great job, ultimately earning a spot on the AP All-Pro second team.
But one top-tier cornerback isn't enough in the modern game. The Patriots had to find someone who could compliment Gonzalez and help take away the other side of the field.
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They found that player in Carlton Davis, who signed a three-year deal worth $60 million ($34.5 million guaranteed) with the Patriots on Day 1 of free agency earlier this week.
At an introductory press conference Thursday, Davis explained how excited he is to play alongside such a talented young player in Gonzalez.
“I’m excited, man. I’m excited,” Davis said in his introductory news conference. “He’s a young, great player. I’ve watched his film. Even when he was coming out of college, I watched his film. I always kind of do a little background check on the corners coming into the league. I guess it’s a competitive thing. But I liked his film. He’s long, he’s rangy, got good ball skills. He had a really good year last year, in my opinion.
“I didn’t watch too many Patriots defensive tapes, but from what I’ve seen on the highlights, he looked like he was playing good ball. I’m always eager to match up or just team up with guys who have similar skill sets as me and can help push me in practice and I can push them in practice. It’s always the iron that sharpens iron, so I’m excited for that. I’m excited to get to practice with him, get to know him a little bit, pick his brain and just kind of see how we can help each other grow.”
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Davis brings great experience and talent to the Patriots secondary. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and helped the NFC South franchise win Super Bowl LV over the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2020 campaign.
The 28-year-old veteran was traded to the Detroit Lions before last season and played a key role on that defense. He tallied 56 total tackles with two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 11 pass breakups in 13 games. Davis signing with the Patriots reunites him with Terrell Williams, who joined New England in January as its defensive coordinator after coaching the Lions' defensive line last season.
The Patriots still have plenty of other areas to bolster on their roster, most notably left tackle and wide receiver. But with Gonzalez and Davis leading the cornerback depth chart, the Patriots are in great shape at one of the sport's most important positions.