The Patriots have already gotten a taste of how shaky things can get when Carlton Davis isn’t on the field, and that makes the case for a bigger move pretty hard to ignore. Davis returned for Week 3, but a neck injury quickly knocked him back out after only a few plays. He had already missed Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That’s the problem with Davis: the talent is there, but the availability keeps getting in the way. With Christian Gonzalez locking down the other side of the secondary, New England has a clear opening to strengthen the cornerback group, and Joey Porter Jr. looks like the most obvious name to chase.
Porter is the kind of player who makes sense for the Patriots’ timeline. He and the Steelers are not on the same page about a contract extension, and Pittsburgh doesn’t appear eager to get a deal done. He’s set to become a free agent after the season, and he’s already done enough to justify a new contract somewhere.
If New England wants him, the price could be steep. A second-round pick is likely the starting point, and that number could climb if the Patriots wait too long.
Cornerbacks tend to draw plenty of interest at the trade deadline, and Porter’s value goes beyond coverage. He can handle the run and take away receivers, which makes him the type of player teams covet.
The Steelers have said Porter hasn’t played this season because of an injury, though the contract situation and trade chatter have made that explanation harder to buy. He’s a former second-round pick who has yet to get on the field this year, but his reputation is already strong enough to keep him near the center of the conversation.
New England’s own start has only sharpened the need. The Week 3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars put more pressure on a defense that usually carries a lot of weight. Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdowns, and that kind of outing won’t be good enough once the competition gets tougher.
It’s still early, and nobody is calling for panic. But the Patriots were always going to need more from the defense this season, especially with Drake Maye and the offense still not operating at the level they want.
Davis is a quality player when healthy, but the Patriots can’t build around uncertainty. Porter Jr. may be expensive, but he’s already proven enough to look like a real answer in Foxborough.
In Other News...
Patriots Fans Just Got A Telling Caleb Lomu Update
The Patriots used a lopsided game against the Jacksonville Jaguars to get Caleb Lomu some extra work at right tackle, with head coach Mike Vrabel turning to the first-round pick after replacing Morgan Moses in the lineup. It was the kind of late-game decision that fit the moment, giving Lomu more live reps while the offense was already fighting from behind.
Vrabel made clear the move was about experience, not a depth-chart shakeup, saying Mosess starting job was not in danger. Still, it comes against a tricky backdrop for New Englands offensive line, which has already absorbed its share of hits with Mike Onwenu going on injured reserve and Greg Van Roten leaving the game with a thigh injury. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Fans Will Recognize Vrabels Mood After This Collapse
The loss to Jacksonville had the kind of sloppiness that tends to linger with a coaching staff, and Mike Vrabel did not sound like a man looking for comfort after it. Turnovers and penalties helped sink the Patriots in a game that got away from them, and the bigger concern was the way the problems piled up while the team seemed unable to steady itself.
Vrabels response after the collapse carried the edge Patriots fans have heard before when things start slipping. He made it clear he is worried about where the group stands right now and said the focus has to be on improving what the team is putting on the field, which puts the spotlight on leadership as much as execution entering the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Pass Rush Problem Just Got A Lot More Urgent
The Patriots pass rush was already a concern, and the picture has only gotten thinner as training camp has worn on. New England did not bring back KLavon Chaisson, and injuries have sidelined Harold Landry and DreMont Jones, leaving the defensive front with fewer proven ways to affect opposing quarterbacks.
Matthew Judon is now expected to land with the 49ers and reunite with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, which takes another familiar name off the board for a Patriots defense that could have used the help. Judons recent production has not matched what he delivered in New England, but the bigger issue for the Patriots is simpler than that: they still need more answers up front, and they need them soon. [Read more 🡒]