The Patriots’ offense is in dire need of upgrades. We all know that. The rest of the league knows that. Mike Vrabel knows it.

But you can score all the points you want, and it won’t matter if you can’t stop people, especially in the secondary. And given the air-raid focus of offense in the modern NFL, the back end is an essential spot for any defense.

The Patriots have a cornerback superstar in the making in Christian Gonzalez. But he needs a running mate in the secondary, whether it’s via free agency or the draft.

Fortunately for the Patriots, a talented crop of free-agent cornerbacks is available, and they have the salary cap space to upgrade on both sides of the ball. The top choice played for a division rival last season.

Ranking free agent cornerbacks the Patriots can sign during the 2025 offseason

1. D.J. Reed

There’s nothing better than poaching free agents from a division rival, especially the hated Jets. And Reed is clearly the top cornerback available on the market.

Reed is only 28 years old, and his best years are ahead of him. The Jets are looking to blow things up after two disastrous years with Aaron Rodgers as quarterback. While Reed didn’t have an interception and 11 pass breakups in 2024, he’d be an ideal No. 2 cornerback to pair with Gonzalez.

Reed has also drawn comparisons to Super Bowl XLIX hero Malcolm Butler. That’s not bad company to be in.

2. Carlton Davis III

Davis was traded by the Lions last season to stabilize a defense ravaged by injuries, and Davis himself was bitten by that bug, as his 2024 campaign ended with a broken jaw.

Davis’ best season came in 2020 when the Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV (four interceptions), and he’s another young guy (28) that the Patriots should kick the tires on.

When healthy, Davis is one of the top cover corners in the league. The Patriots need stability on the back end and Davis is another guy who would provide them with just that.

3. Asante Samuel Jr.

Samuel’s dad won a couple of Super Bowls with the Patriots, and even though some sour grapes may remain from Samuel’s older comments about Bill Belichick, Samuel, Jr. is a talented corner who would be a worthy secondary partner for Gonzalez.

Samuel is coming off a down year with the Chargers, playing in 13 games and registering only two pass breakups and no interceptions, so maybe a fresh start in New England would suit Samuel well.

The one drawback is Samuel’s inconsistency with tackling, which could turn the Patriots off, given some of the slippery receivers in the AFC. But the combination of his age and his talent will make Samuel an attractive free agent.