FOXBORO, Mass. — When the Patriots signed Jalen Mills during the 2021 offseason, many expected New England to make great use of the defensive back’s versatility. He could be another swiss-army knife in the Patriots.
After all, in his final season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Mills saw 329 snaps in the box, 39 on the line, 236 as a free safety, 182 in the slot and 227 at outside corner, per Pro Football Focus. But 2022 was a much different experience for Mills.
With Stephon Gilmore beginning the season on the PUP list, Mills opened the campaign as New England’s No. 2 outside corner behind J.C. Jackson. And he kept that role all season, partly due to the Patriots trading Gilmore but also because he played the position at a reasonably high level.
Mills wasn’t outstanding by any means — he finished as PFF’s 34th-ranked corner — but he was starting-caliber, which is all the Patriots needed. He saw 689 snaps as an outside corner, with his next highest usage coming in the slot (117 snaps).
Still, some wondered whether New England would look to transition Mills back to a do-everything role for his second season in Foxboro. We’ll see what happens, but through eight training camp practices, Mills appears entrenched as the Patriots’ top outside corner — and for good reason.
The 28-year-old has been excellent during camp. He’s logged three pass breakups and routinely has played tight coverage on New England’s wideouts. It’s not a stretch to say that he’s been one of the Patriots’ best players during camp.
After Thursday’s practice, Mills confirmed that, for now, he’s sticking at outside corner.
“Locked in,” he said. “Same, just playing corner. You never know within our defensive scheme; I come in one week and they might say, ‘Play in the slot.’ Or it might just be, like you’re saying, play outside. So, I always keep myself refreshed, whether it’s nickel or outside.
“But as of right now, yeah, I’ve just been focusing on outside.”
Mills also is an emerging leader on the Patriots defense. And his leadership could be vital in a defensive backfield that now includes rookie corners Marcus Jones and Jack Jones.
“I think so,” Mills said when asked whether he’s become a leader in the locker room. “We’ve got a couple more younger guys. (Butler), he’s been here before, but just getting him refreshed — teammates as well. Answering any questions those guys have. … We’ve got a lot of stuff within our scheme, things can get confusing. … So, I could say that.”
Is Mills one of the best corners in football? No, probably not. And it’s fair to wonder how could New England’s defense can be without a true alpha cornerback on the outside.
However, if New England can stop the run and generate a consistent pass rush this season, its cornerback group could be good enough, with Mills leading the way.
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