The New England Patriots’ cornerback depth is thin after seven weeks of the season, which could force executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf to make a trade to bolster the position at the trade deadline.
Although Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis are the top corners in New England, they’re both on the injury report too much for comfort this season, with Gonzalez already missing the first three weeks to a hamstring injury.
A player that could be on the Patriots’ trade radar is Tennessee Titans cornerback Roger McCreary, as he was originally selected by head coach Mike Vrabel at the top of the second round in the 2022 NFL draft.
McCreary spent the first two years of his career with Vrabel as his head coach, where he played on 100% of the defensive snaps as a rookie (1,165) in 2022 and 92% (934) the following year. In their two years together, McCreary performed as one of the most productive cornerbacks in the NFL.
- 170 tackles
- 9 tackles for loss
- 14 pass deflections
- 2 interceptions
- 2 sacks
Patriots Must Reunite Mike Vrabel with Roger McCreary via Trade
Since Vrabel left Tennessee, however, McCreary’s production has dropped quite drastically. He totaled 50 tackles in 2024, which is 34 less than both of his seasons prior with Vrabel as the head coach. Also in the two years without the Pats coach, McCreary's snaps on defense have decreased while he has increased on special teams.
The Titans are clearly going through some changes with their entire organization as they fired head coach Brian Callahan after less than two seasons. NFL insider Dianna Rusini reported in her latest column that Tennessee is open to trade anyone except quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
The Patriots awerere in Tennessee for a matchup with the Titans on Sunday, notching a 31-13 win. Vrabel had a chance to watch McCreary up close for the first time in two years, as the former Auburn Tiger finished the contest with four solo tackles. He also entered the Week 7 showdown as the No. 28-rated CB on Pro Football Focus with a coverage grade of 71.4.
For reference, that number would rank first among New England's cornerbacks.
If the Patriots are interested in adding a cornerback, which NFL insider Josina Anderson reports that they are, then it’s highly probable that McCreary is a trade target candidate for New England. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, which could make the asking price for him very reasonable as Tennessee has shown not to value him too much this season.
With just under two weeks to go before the NFL trade deadline, a potential McCreary-Vrabel reunion is something that Patriots fans will monitor closely.