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Jun 9, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III (7) makes a catch during minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Patriots CB Gives Decisive Update on Playing Status

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Mike D'Abate | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 7:00 AM ET

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — When the New England Patriots signed cornerback Carlton Davis III to a three-year, $54 million contract this offseason, they envisioned pairing him with second-team All-Pro Christian Gonzalez to potentially form one of the NFL’s best perimeter tandems.

Unfortunately, the Pats have yet to see much of a return on their investment — thanks in part to some bad luck on the injury front. Gonzalez has been sidelined for much of training camp due to a hamstring injury, while Davis has seen scant action due an undisclosed ailment.

As the Pats took the field for their first of two joint practice sessions with the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday, Davis was once again a limited participant. Though the 28-year-old remains mum on exactly what is keeping him from the practice fields, he was quite definitive when addressing whether he would be ready for New England’s season-opener.

“Hell yeah,” Davis emphatically told reporters following practice. “I’m dealing with something for sure, but I’m still ready to play right now. I don’t care what’s going on – if it was Week 1, I’d be playing,” Davis said. “We’re just being smart about it and we’re going through the process."

“I’m good,” Davis added. “Physically, I’m just taking it day by day, trying to make sure I haven’t had any setbacks and that I’m just going forward with my progress. As you saw, I was out there today during the team period. Hopefully tomorrow, do a little bit more and keep it steady so I’m ready for Week 1."

Davis joins the Patriots with quite the impressive resume. Throughout his seven NFL seasons — six with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and one with the Detroit Lions — the 28-year-old has compiled 380 total tackles, 84 pass deflections, 11 interceptions, four forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. Davis was also a teammate of Patriots’ legend Tom Brady during the Bucs championship run in 2020, earning five total tackles in Tampa Bay’s 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

At 6’1” 206-pounds, Davis cuts an imposing presence along the perimeter. Expected to patrol the left side of the defensive backfield, the Auburn product is known for his exceptional athleticism. While Gonzalez has certainly earned the job as New England’s lockdown corner, Davis should win his share of contested catch battles against opposing receivers.

To do so, Davis must return to regular on-field action. Though the veteran cornerback did not take part in the team stretch or individual drills during Wednesday’s practice with Minnesota, he did participate in the full-team period with the first-team defense. For Davis, it was a key step toward establishing his place within the Patriots secondary heading into the start of the 2025 NFL season.

“When you come to a team, you want to be able to display who you are rather than talk or watch film,” Davis said. “I want to be out there in person. I want to be able to show who they got, and I want to be able to earn their respect and earn a role on the team.”

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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