The New England Patriots are still experimenting heavily with their secondary as they enter the padded portion of training camp. It’s common for New England to open competition at every position, but cornerback is a spot where the Patriots seem entirely uncertain.
During the team’s first padded practice on Monday, they deployed Jalen Mills, Joejuan Williams, Terrance Mitchell, Jack Jones and Malcolm Butler on the outside with the top defensive unit. In the slot, New England used Marcus Jones, Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant. That slot spot will be a hotly contested position, which Jonathan Jones owned before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in 2021.
The first practice provided few clues on how these position battles will go. So let’s quickly whip around the position group to note where each player seems to stand as evaluation begins.
