The New England Patriots went on a spending spree this offseason. Entering free agency with more cap space than any team in the NFL, the Patriots revamped their roster, giving up lucrative long-term deals to several veterans in hopes of making head coach Mike Vrabel's first year behind the bench as easy as possible.
While the deals for Milton Williams and Stefon Diggs have been put under a microscope and dubbed as potential overpays, one Patriots signing has gone under the radar.
Patriots CB Carlton Davis Has Gone Under the Radar as a Potential Overpay
The Patriots signed Carlton Davis to a three-year, $54 million deal, including a $16.5 million signing bonus and $34.5 million guaranteed. Among free agent cornerbacks who signed with new teams, this was tied for the most guaranteed money with Paulson Adebo and Byron Murphy.
The difference is that Davis is older than both of those players. Even though he is coming off an excellent season with the Lions, Davis will turn 29 during the season. He will be under contract in New England heading into his 30s, considered past-prime for cornerbacks in the NFL.
Plus, Davis already began his Patriots tenure on the wrong foot. He was absent during most of OTAs until the minicamp. MassLive's Karen Guregian referred to him as "largely invisible" during the voluntary workouts.
While OTAs are mostly voluntary, one would hope that one of the best-paid players on the team and a star offseason signing would be a more active participant. When a veteran starter joins a new team, it's generally expected that they will make more of an effort with the team early on.
This may not be an issue Patriots fans have to worry about right away, but this is not the start one would hope for when committing $54 million to a player in free agency. If Davis plays the way he did in Detroit last season, this will not be an issue. However, his age and absence during OTAs, combined with his contract, make him overpaid as things stand now.