The New England Patriots have been the most attractive landing spot for NFL free agents in recent years. Fresh off a Super Bowl appearance and still equipped with ample resources, however, they could very well become the player magnet again they once were.
And don’t just take our word for it. Cornerback Carlton Davis, who arrived in Foxborough as a free agent last year, also believes that New England has all the makings of a premium destination
“You got Drake Maye, you got Coach [Mike] Vrabel. That’s a great start to any organization,” Davis recently explained. “From there on, we just keep building. We just keep putting the right pieces together, keep mission together, and keep working.”
The Patriots already stared doing that last year, and the results spoke for themselves. While they were ultimately unable to bring a championship back to New England, losing 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, they did build a very solid foundation beyond the quarterback and head coach.
“With the culture of what we’re building here, you can see from this season alone,” Davis said. “It’s some good stuff going on here. I’m happy to be a part of this organization and I’m proud of what we did this year. It was phenomenal to come in as a team; we got a new coaching staff, new free agents. It’s just like a whole new rebuild and to have so much success so early is amazing. Obviously, we didn’t get it done and it’s going to hurt, but going into this offseason, we could use it as motivation and come back stronger. There’s a lot to be proud of.”
Davis was one of the players who helped accelerate New England’s rebuild during the 2025 season. Joining the club on a three-year, $54 million contract last March, he started all 21 regular season and playoff games opposite Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
While he only registered two interceptions — both in the divisional playoff round against Houston — he played a pivotal role in New England’s defense playing some high-quality football down the stretch. And while change is only natural in the offseason, Davis does not sweat it.
“It’s never the same team,” the 29-year-old said. “This is every year, with every organization: nobody ever has the same team. But we have a good core of our guys under contract, whether it’s rookie or veteran contract. I said this before, but I do believe in the front office and our coaches to make the right decisions. So, we’re not worried.”