How Carlton Davis Can Take Patriots Secondary To Even Greater Heights
Christian Gonzalez headlines the New England Patriots' cornerbacks room. Marcus Jones' ability in the return game makes him a favorite.
But Carlton Davis, the Super Bowl-winning veteran who came up big for the Patriots in his first season with the team, can be the glue that holds the secondary together. Sporting 11 career picks, Davis is the oldest player in his position room. At 29 years old, Davis continues to drink from the fountain of youth.
He calls himself a student of the game, with head coach Mike Vrabel comparing him to a baseball pitcher. At this point in his career, the 6-foot-1 Davis has got to find different ways to stand out.
Davis isn't Gonzalez -- no one in the league is -- but he plays the role as the No. 2 cornerback perfectly.
"CD is a great teammate. He is a competitive player," Vrabel said. "As you continue to gain years in this league, you have to continue to find - especially at those speed positions, you have to find some different pitches. You have to find some minor adjustments and tweaks, and I know that he is continuing to focus on that and do that.
"But he's a competitive player, he's a competitive person, and (I'm) excited to have him back."
Davis Has Turned Into A Productive Vet With New England
That competition can hurt him at times. He isn't the lankiest corner, so there's times where he gets beat at the point of attack. He isn't as fast as his teammate Jones, so he'll sometimes get beat in coverage. Davis led the NFL in defensive pass interferences penalties (nine) a year ago, and had the second-most defensive holding calls as well. Only Atlanta's A.J. Terrell has more.
It's all part of the growth process for Davis, who originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in 2018. The second-round pick was teammates with Patriots Hall of Famers Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski during the team's Super Bowl LV victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. He had a year-long stint with the Detroit Lions before signing with the Patriots on a three-year contract worth $54 million ahead of the 2025 season.
The knowledge has begun to accumulate. He's aware of it, and it can only be beneficial for Davis in 2026.
"Playing at different schemes, different defenses, playing in (the) NFC and the AFC and having success - and even having the losses, it's all a learning experience for me," Davis said. "One thing (Vrabel) says is, 'Don't take yourself too seriously.' And when he says that, it speaks to ego. It speaks to me not having a big ego, and being able to learn from anybody: coach, player, or the film."
He'll now be another cog in what's already an elite secondary group. Davis referred to them as "showstoppers," and that's putting it mildly.
Gonzalez, Davis and Jones are one of the NFL's top cornerback trios, while safeties Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson are starting to mesh well in their first season together. Byard's years of experience, paired with Woodson's breakout rookie campaign in 2025, should signal one thing -- this unit is back.
"He's Fun To Be Out Here With"
"I feel like we're coming right in where we left off, playing at a high level (with) good chemistry," Davis said. "It's just so good to have all the guys back. When you have everybody here, you just can feel the momentum that we had last year. And even the new additions are coming in with the same mentality. So yeah, it's been fun."
Davis' abilites on the field would help any team. It's what happens away from the cameras that's also playing a major role.
Behind closed doors, the veteran cornerback has taken on a major leadership role. He wasn't a captain this past year, and may not be voted one in his second season, but the captain-like qualities have started to ooze. It's making an impression on his Patriots teammates.
"Man, CD's been awesome. He's awesome in the locker room," quarterback Drake Maye said. "We got out there before practice and he's saying, 'Hey, throw one at me and come challenge me today.' So, he wants work. He's proven in this league as a guy to make plays on the football. He's one of the best at being physical, being on his man-to-man coverage, and he's a winner. He's won it and he knows what it's like to win."
Going up against him every day in practice is fun for the young quarterback. It shouldn't be too fun for opposing quarterbacks on Sundays this fall.
"Obviously, he's done a lot of things right in his career," Maye said. "So, it's awesome to have him and Gonzo, and even some more corners and DBs. That back end group that they got over there, it was a real tough challenge for us and the receivers. It's been awesome. CD's always in a great mood, and he's fun to be out here with."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as How Carlton Davis Can Take Patriots Secondary To Even Greater Heights.
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This story was originally published June 27, 2026 at 3:07 PM.