The New England Patriots' secondary has been without some key names as the second week of training camp practices continues. Free-agent cornerback signing Carlton Davis III has yet to practice in pads this summer due to an undisclosed injury, while standout ballhawk Christian Gonzalez has been hampered by a leg injury that's kept him out of practice for over a week.
Being without their top CBs isn't encouraging, which is why the Patriots were happy to see second-year disruptor Marcellas Dial step up in Gonzalez and Davis' absence. The former 2024 sixth-round pick appeared in all 17 games during his rookie season, and big things seemed to be on the horizon for him as he capitalized on the wide-open secondary opportunity.
Unfortunately, Dial's outlook took a major hit when he was carted out of Monday's practice during 11-on-11 drills. While some Patriots fans hoped to avoid the worst-case scenario, they aren't as lucky this time around.
Patriots CB Marcellas Dial Potentially Out for Entire 2025 Season with ACL Tear
ESPN's Mike Reiss is reporting that Dial has torn his ACL, according to NFL sources, essentially ruling him out for the entire 2025 NFL season.
Filed to ESPN: Patriots CB Marcellas Dial Jr., who was carted off the field Monday, tore his ACL, per league sources.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 5, 2025
Even if Gonzalez and Davis are on track for full recoveries, losing Dial for the entire season is the last thing the Patriots needed. The former South Carolina Gamecock suited up for 424 snaps between his defensive and special-teams responsibilities as a rookie, which is the type of workload that won't be easy to replace — especially if the injured CB duo runs into any more obstacles next season.
Dial played to mixed results when it came to his defensive assignment. While his 78.8 tackling grade on Pro Football Focus was impressive, he only mustered marks of 49.4 in coverage and 53.4 for overall defense. He did record a grade of 70.1 for special teams, though, while tallying six solo tackles and a forced fumble.
With Dial slated to miss his second NFL season, time will tell who'll step up in his absence. Alex Austin, Isaiah Bolden, and rookie Kobee Minor are all worth keeping an eye on, as is 2025 fourth-rounder pick Craig Woodson, who spent time as a safety and cornerback during his run at the University of California.
After Dial stepped up amid the Patriots' injury woes, New England fans are eager to see who'll pick up the ball next now that it's no longer in the Woodruff, SC native's hands.