The New England Patriots have made a big splash to start free agency, agreeing to sign former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III. Davis will now join New England on a three-year, $60 million deal, with $34.5 million fully guaranteed at signing.
Patriots Invest in Super Bowl-Winning Cornerback
The move signals a major defensive upgrade for the Patriots, whose defense ranked 30th in the NFL in 2024, according to PFSN’s Defense+ metric.
“Of all the reasons for Jerod Mayo becoming the latest one-and-done head coach, the defense’s decline was arguably the largest. After being a top-10 defense in each of the last three years, the Patriots plummeted to the bottom three in 2024.
“New England needed a solid defense to support its rebuilding offense, and that wasn’t close to the case. Overall, the Patriots ranked 20th or worse in 11 of 17 games this year. Apart from the Week 10 outlier against the Bears, New England didn’t record a single-game grade higher than a C+ all season.”
Davis moves from Detroit’s fifth-ranked defense to a struggling Patriots unit. Under new head coach Mike Vrabel, New England hopes Davis’ presence will help turn things around.
What Does Carlton Davis III Bring to New England?
Davis started all 13 of his appearances for the Lions in 2024, registering two interceptions, 11 passes defensed, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and two tackles for loss. He’s recorded at least one interception in each of his last six seasons, totaling nine career interceptions over seven years.
Davis also played a key role in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl 55 victory, starting all four playoff games. His career-high four interceptions in 2020 helped propel Tampa Bay to the championship.
Due to his talent and injury history, Davis landed at No. 9 on PFSN’s Top 121 Free Agents.
“The New England Patriots continue to upgrade the NFL’s third-worst defense from last year. As good as Christian Gonzalez was, New England still ranked 29th in defensive EPA per dropback (-0.14).
“Pairing Davis with Gonzalez gives New England a strong cover corner duo, allowing them to return to a man-coverage-heavy scheme. Davis played in a Lions defense that ran the highest rate of man coverage in 2024 while allowing a career-low 77.0 passer rating in coverage.
“Davis does come with some injury concerns, but when healthy, he has delivered. New England must now strengthen its pass rush to take full advantage of its new defensive structure.”
Mike Vrabel’s tenure in New England is off to a strong start, adding a veteran playmaker. While the Buffalo Bills remain the AFC East favorites, second place in the division is up for grabs. If the Patriots continue upgrading their roster, Davis’ arrival could be a crucial step in the right direction.