Nov 17, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr. (27) warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Patriots Injured CB Shows Off Recovery Process

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Ethan Hurwitz | Last updated Dec 19, 2025 12:26 PM ET

The New England Patriots have gotten a positive update on cornerback Marcellas Dial, who's currently on injured reserve for the season with a torn ACL.

Dial, who suffered the injury during training camp back in August during 1-on-1 drills, was subsequently placed on IR and was set to miss the entire year. On Instagram this week, the second-year defensive back showing off part of his recovery process.

While the Patriots currently sit at 11-3, best in the AFC East and gotten impressive production at both cornerback and on special teams, they miss Dial out there. He posted a video to his social media on him working on running inside Gillette Stadium, a positive sign for a player who went down just five months ago.

Marcellas Dial showing off his recovery process from a torn ACL by posting this video on just Instagram. pic.twitter.com/7pcUwXCnsL
— Ethan Hurwitz (@HurwitzSports) December 19, 2025

“by,” Dial wrote on the video, showing him slowly jogging from the field's north end zone towards midfield.

Patriots Get A Positive Sign From An Injured Defensive Back

Dial played in all of New England's 17 games last year, finding a niche as the team's second gunner on the punt unit. Alongside All-Pro Brenden Schooler, they combined for one of the league's best duos on special teams and left the Patriots with a fairly sizable hole at that spot heading into the season. Defensively, Dial recorded 12 tackles and even forced a fumble. In coverage, he allowed four catches on five targets for 43 yards.

The Patriots have dealt with varying injuries in the secondary this season. Schooler missed one game with a knee injury, while cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Alex Austin (placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury midseason) have also missed some time.

Dial was a sixth-round pick by New England out of South Carolina in 2024, part of a shaky draft class that only a few players remain (Drake Maye, Caedan Wallace). The previous regime took both Dial and quarterback Joe Milton in the sixth round, but both weren't going to contribute for the 2025 roster -- Milton was shipped off to the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason.

“We have to build some depth here to this roster, and you do that from the draft," head coach Mike Vrabel said earlier this year. "We'll call it what it is, it hasn’t been real great. The depth of our roster has not been through our draft the last handful of years, and that has to change. We all know that."

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

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