The New England Patriots addressed one of their biggest roster holes Wednesday morning, adding some much-needed depth at cornerback.
Ahead of the official start of NFL free agency, the Patriots agreed to terms with veteran Terrance Mitchell on a one-year, $3 million contract, according to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Mitchell has bounced around the league since being drafted in the seventh round in 2014, appearing in games for the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans. The 29-year-old Oregon product has seen significant playing time in recent years, however, starting all 16 games for Cleveland in 2020 and 13 for Houston this past season.
In Cleveland, Mitchell overlapped for two seasons with Eliot Wolf, one of the leading figures in New England's personnel department. He also played for ex-Patriots executive Nick Caserio during his one year with the Texans.
Listed at 5-foot-11, 191 pounds, Mitchell registered 13 passes defended in 2020 and 10 with one interception in 2021, topping 60 tackles in both seasons. An outside corner who rarely plays in the slot, he had seven tackles, a pass breakup and a forced fumble in Houston's Week 5 loss to New England.
Pro Football Focus graded Mitchell as the NFL's 103rd-best cornerback out of 116 qualifiers in 2021. He fared much better in 2020, ranking 35th of 121.
Mitchell, the Patriots' first external free agent signing of the offseason, will help bolster a position group that lost Pro Bowler J.C. Jackson to the Los Angeles Chargers earlier this week. He joins Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Joejuan Williams, Shaun Wade and Justin Bethel on the Patriots' cornerback depth chart.
New England lacked cornerback depth even with Jackson this past season, so more additions likely are forthcoming.
The Patriots can officially sign Mitchell and when the NFL league year opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
