The New England Patriots have continued to struggle at the corner position and face yet another setback. Marcellas Dial Jr. has suffered a torn ACL and will be lost for the 2025 season. While Dial was simply a depth piece, it has been a consistent part of New England's camp that injuries have plagued the secondary. Starting corners Carlton Davis and Christian Gonzalez have both been dealing with injuries throughout camp. Add in Will Campbell's struggles, and early camp headlines for the Pats haven't been as exciting as expected. What was expected to be a page turn for the organization has felt all too familiar.
However, there is still reason for a level of excitement with the continued development of Drake Maye and an exciting defensive core. One that has a chance to improve with one notable free agent addition. While the Patriots' starters are expected to be ready for the season, there is still a lack of depth, and more than enough cap space to fix this concern. Asante Samuel Jr. has had injury concerns of his own, forcing the defender to remain in free agency far longer than expected. This unfortunate turn of events for the former Charger serves as New England's perfect opportunity for improvement.
The Patriots Must Consider Signing Asante Samuel Jr.
Gonzalez has already shown some concerning signs when it comes to staying healthy, leaving every reason for the franchise to seek out additional depth. If the Patriots are going to be a surprisingly difficult team to face, it is going to be built around Drake Maye, and a defense that is going to be underrated. The biggest question mark remains how consistent a pass rush this front can generate. If the answer to this is positive, the Pats have more than enough talent in the back end to be an above-average unit.
This is before adding the talent of Samuel and factoring in the veteran's expected impact. Still only twenty-five, the corner fits with New England's timeline and is the perfect cap to what was a solid offseason. Not only do you complete the defense, but you also provide fans a much-needed positive story to focus on.
Far too many headlines have come out focused on injuries or the struggles of the young left tackle. All of this creates a sense of frustration for a fan base that has been spoiled by decades of consistent winning. Leaving the front office, there is every reason to continue to search for possible improvements, and none makes more sense than Samuel.