Locks: Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones
Bubble: Isaiah Bolden, Alex Austin, Marcellas Dial, Marco Wilson
In the Mix: Shaun Wade, Mikey Victor, Azizi Hearn, Caleb Ford-Dement
Christian Gonzalez and Jonathan Jones give the Patriots two excellent cornerbacks atop their depth chart, but there are significant questions after them in the position group. Gonzalez was limited to just four games as a rookie but showed enough promise in that short time that he garnered September Defensive Rookie of the Month honors. He had solid showings against some of the game's most elite weapons and should return to that all-star trajectory, giving the Patriots a number one corner to start their gameplans with.
Jones returns for his ninth season with New England after battling through an injury-riddled 2023. Jones missed just three games but still defended seven passes and 48 total tackles. He had some cleanup surgery this offseason that limited him during the spring but head coach Jerod Mayo had no concerns about the reliable veteran's availability.
"J-Jones, he's doing well. He's back and forth," said Mayo during voluntary OTA practices. "One thing about J-Jones, he's an ultimate professional. I'm not really worried about him."
Myles Bryant had served as the team's primary slot cornerback over the last three seasons but is no longer with the team, opening up a significant opportunity for either a slot player or a third outside cornerback who could provide Jonathan Jones the flexibility to slide inside to the slot on pure passing downs.
Marcus Jones also saw his 2023 ended early by injury and should be an immediate factor in the slot, but he has just 24 total snaps at that position in his first two seasons combined. Jones is certain to make the team for his return ability, but the size of his role of defense remains a question mark.
With Gonzalez and both Joneses limited this spring, there were plenty of opportunities for reps in the secondary. Second-year corner Alex Austin and fourth-year corner Marco Wilson (37 career starts for Arizona over his first three seasons) saw plenty of action during competitive team drillsand had solid showings.
Austin came on strong after arriving late in 2023 and playing the final five games of the year with the Pats, picking up a start against the Chiefs and an interception against the Bills, the team that had originally drafted him in the seventh round earlier in the year.
"When we finished up last year, he was one of those guys where we're like, "Look, this is an NFL player," and it's good to see him coming back in shape, going out here and making plays," said Mayo of Austin's performance this spring.
Another second-year corner also turned some heads in the spring after never getting a chance to see the field during his rookie season. Isaiah Bolden was lost for the year with a concussion during the second preseason game in Green Bay last August, but received plenty of looks on defense this spring, especially in the slot, where his size and speed stand out.
"Part of it is numbers," said Mayo of Bolden's time inside the slot during OTAs. "We don't have some of our slot corners practicing at this current time, they're getting over something. So, I think it's been a good experience for him to get inside. At the same time, I still see him more of a perimeter corner."
Rookie seventh-round pick Marcellas Dial should be in the mix despite inconsistent availability this spring, while practice squad veterans Shaun Wade and Azizi Hearn will push for reps. Wade picked up six starts in 2023, his third season in New England, while Hearn has good size and spent all of 2023 behind the scenes with the practice squad.
Finally, undrafted rookies Caleb Ford-Dement and Mikey Victor round out the team's depth at cornerback. Given the team's long history of developing unheralded cornerbacks, neither should be disregarded.
The trio of Austin, Wilson and Bolden are the early competitors to keep an eye on, while Marcus Jones' ability to contribute on defense is one of the team's biggest wild cards. Gonzalez and J-Jones are a great place to start and should match up well against anyone, but there are significant questions behind them that should make for some exciting competition in training camp.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
