FOXBORO, MA. — The New England Patriots have yet to suit up for their first preseason game of the summer, but the injury bug has struck them like a ton of bricks.
Christian Gonzalez went down earlier in the summer with a hamstring injury that will reportedly sideline him for a couple of weeks, while Carlton Davis remains a question mark on the practice field. While the new free agent signing did put on the pads for the Patriots joint practice against the Commanders on Wednesday, it had been a while for Davis to consistently participate in practice.
Second-year cornerback Marcellas Dial also went down during an 11-on-11s rep last week, quick to grab his left knee before ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported that he had torn his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season.
So with three cornerbacks down for the count just 48 hours ahead of the first game of the summer, how will the Patriots look when they trot out of the tunnel?
“They’ll get a lot of reps today, different situations and again, I would say most everybody that’s healthy should expect to play in the game,” Mike Vrabel said prior to Wednesday’s practice. “How long they’ll play, I don’t know, but we have to prepare to play in football games and prepare to win football games. So, that’s the mentality that we’re going to take.”
So ahead of the team’s Friday night clash against Washington, here’s one piece of information on each healthy member of New England’s cornerbacks room, and a peek at who may use the opportunity to elevate their stock.
CB Marcus Jones: At this point in time, the fourth-year player is the most experienced player in the Patriots cornerback room. Jones has been repping as the team’s starting slot corner all summer, as well as being the first up to return punts. If he can stay healthy, the versatile Jones will be a weapon for the Patriots.
CB Alex Austin: After missing most of last year, Austin has returned in 2025 with a great start to camp. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels tested Austin a number of times during team drills, and the former Oregon State product was up to the challenge — forcing some throws into tight coverage and a pass breakup.
CB Isaiah Bolden: While some players will get more defensive chances with the loss of Dial, Bolden will be one of the guys who will get an uptick in playing time on special teams. Dial’s expertise in his rookie season was as a gunner alongside All-Pro Brenden Schooler. Now that spot is there for the taking and Bolden, who’s entering his third season and what he hopes to be second-straight injury-free season, has the special teams talent to contribute in that aspect.
CB DJ James: Far and away the biggest surprise of training camp thus far. After joining the Patriots practice squad last season, James was a stashed player assumed to be nothing more than a camp body in 2025. Now, he’s been consistently playing with the top defensive units and is now getting closer to etching his name onto the Week 1 roster.
CB Kobee Minor: The lone defensive back drafted by New England in April’s draft, Minor is a player that people in the building have talked highly about. He didn’t face much pressure in college, but a lot of that can be attributed to the fact that nobody would throw in his direction. Minor has been rotating in as one of the depth dime corners and playing on the outside with the backups.
CB Miles Battle: Another player that was stashed for most of the season, Battle broke onto the scene in his lone game action – a Week 18 win over the Bills in 2024. He was around the ball all afternoon and has parlayed that into more chances in his second season. He will likely be fighting for the final spot on the roster, and if that falls short, he should be a shoo-in for the practice squad (should he clear waivers).
CB Brandon Crossley: The undrafted free agent put together a productive season at SMU last year and now finds himself on the outskirts of the secondary battle in New England. While Crossley has the talent to make the roster, he’s caught up in a numbers game and will potentially need some game-changing plays throughout the preseason to get a few more looks on the defensive side of the ball.
CB Jordan Polk: The Texas State rookie has had a few flashes here and there during training camp, but hasn’t had that one standout moment that’s resonated with Patriots fans 12 practices in. A chance to earn some more playing time will come on Friday and a potential spot on the practice squad would be an ideal situation for a developmental player.
CB Tre Avery: The new waiver claim was present at New England’s joint practice against Washington on Wednesday, sporting a No. 26 jersey. A smaller cornerback (5-foot-11, 185 lbs), he’s projected to be more of a nickel/dime player. Think how the Patriots used Myles Bryant during his time here. He will need a strong showing in August to stay on the roster.
