The Patriots might lose J.C. Jackson this offseason, but that doesn’t necessarily mean New England’s cornerback situation will end up in shambles.
There is a handful of above-average CBs outside of Jackson set to hit the open market next week when the new NFL year begins. ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler highlighted one of them Monday morning when identifying a free agent who could help fix the Patriots.
“I’ve got a bit of a surprise. Wide receiver would be the easy pick here. I’m gonna go Carlton Davis, the cornerback,” Fowler said on “Get Up.” “So, you’re swapping out Davis for J.C. Jackson. He’s a great player. Jackson’s going to do very well on the open market, but I just never got the sense that the Patriots were all in on keeping him. They’re not going to franchise tag him. Meanwhile, Davis is gonna go to a spot where he can play a lot of man coverage. That plays to his strength — big 6-foot-1 corner. He’s gonna do well there.”
Davis isn’t bereft of concerns. The 2018 second-round pick isn’t a ballhawk like Jackson — he only has six career interceptions — and he’s yet to play a full regular-season slate. That said, quarterbacks only completed a tick over 57% of their passes last season when throwing Davis’ way.
The Patriots potentially would be able to land Davis for a cheaper price than what Jackson likely will command on the open market. So if “Mr. INT” leaves Foxboro, New England at the very minimum should check in with Davis.
