Cornerback Carlton Davis agrees to contract with Patriots, per reports
Another free agent cornerback has come off of the market.
Former Buccaneers and Lions defensive back Carlton Davis III is joining the Patriots on a three-year, $60 million contract, according to reports Monday.
The Patriots will be Davis' third team in three years. The Buccaneers traded the veteran cornerback to Detroit before the 2024 season after six years in Tampa that included a free agency re-signing in 2022.
In 2024, Davis played in 13 games before suffering a season-ending broken jaw in Week 15. Before that injury, the seven-year veteran compiled 56 tackles (including two tackles for a loss), 11 pass defenses, two interceptions and a forced fumble.
Davis will be 28 at the start of the 2025 season and has yet to play a full season in his seven-year career. In the last three years, he's dealt with a hip injury, a concussion, a nagging toe injury and the aforementioned broken jaw.
When he has been healthy, Davis has played well as a starter wherever he's been. Patriots will pair him up with Christian Gonzalez to lead the defensive secondary.
The Patriots finished the 2024 season 4-13, last in the AFC East. Their defense ranked 30th in dropback EPA allowed and gave up 3,596 yards in the air last season. They currently hold the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.