Patriots' free agent addition is creating more questions than answers

"The New England Patriots made some major additions in free agency, particularly on defense. Milton Williams became the highest-paid player in team history at $26 million per season, while they also shelled out major deals to Harold Landry and Robert Spillane. One of the more notable deals not only for the Patriots but for the entire offseason was their signing of Lions cornerback Carlton Davis. While Davis seemed like a perfect complement to Christian Gonzalez, things haven't worked out as such."

"According to PFF, Davis ranks 113th among all cornerbacks with a 54.9 overall grade, and his 50.8 coverage grade sees him come in at 127th. He's been penalized four times in the last four games, and quarterbacks have a 107.7 passer rating when targeting him. In other words, if a quarterback were to target Davis every play for an entire season, he'd have the seventh-best rating in football, better than Matt Stafford, Josh Allen, Daniel Jones, and Patrick Mahomes."

"One would expect things would have improved with the return of Gonzalez to the lineup, but Davis has, in fact, played worse since the former Oregon Duck returned from injury. In the first three games, he allowed a sub-57% completion rate, but in the last two, opposing QBs are 6/7 when looking Davis's way. By PFF's metrics, this is the worst season in his career, and it comes right after signing a three-year deal worth $18 million per season."

The New England Patriots prioritized defensive upgrades in free agency, signing Milton Williams as the franchise's highest-paid player and adding Harold Landry and Robert Spillane. The team also signed cornerback Carlton Davis to a three-year, $18 million-per-season deal. Pro Football Focus grades place Davis near the bottom among cornerbacks, with a 54.9 overall grade and a 50.8 coverage grade. Quarterbacks targeting Davis have compiled a 107.7 passer rating, and he has been penalized multiple times over recent games. Davis has regressed since Christian Gonzalez returned, producing the worst season of his career by PFF metrics. Competing free-agent corners received similar or slightly different contract terms.

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