The New England Patriots’ cornerback group underwent some change this offseason, but a significant portion of the depth chart will look the same as it did in 2024. One part of the group then as now is second-year man D.J. James.

Hard facts

Name: D.J. James

Position: Cornerback

Jersey number: 30 (b)

Opening day age: 24 (3/5/2001)

Measurements: 5’11 5/8”, 184 lbs, 72 3/8” wingspan, 31” arm length, 8 3/8” hand size, 4.42s 40-yard dash, 7.28s 3-cone drill, 4.41s short shuttle, 38” vertical jump, 10’6” broad jump, 5.82 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

NFL: Seattle Seahawks (2024), New England Patriots (2024-) | College: Oregon (2019-21), Auburn (2022-23)

Coming out of Spanish For High School in Spanish Fort, AL, James garnered considerable interest as a three-star recruit. He initially committed to Mississippi State over offers from Alabama, Tennessee and Florida, among others, but eventually decided to change course and head to Oregon. He ended up spending three seasons with the Ducks, wearing the No. 0 jersey that later went to future Patriots first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez. That jersey on James’ shoulders saw action in 32 games and was on the receiving end of two interceptions.

During his third year in Eugene, James decided to enter the transfer portal. He later moved to Auburn, where he spent the final two years of his college career and added 24 more games as well as three interceptions — including one pick-six — to his résumé. He also was named second-team All-SEC during his 2022 redshirt junior campaign.

James ended up getting selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Seahawks.

Scouting report

Strengths: James is a fluid mover who accelerates quickly out of his stance and complements his explosiveness with good straight-line speed and change of direction. In man coverage, he is competitive throughout the stem of the route; he patiently keeps his hips square and can match patterns in the open field. He also has shown a feel for undercutting routes or taking advantage of sloppy technique by his opponents. He is a competitive at the catch point and a naturally versatile and physical player; James can be a factor against the pass and the run, and both split out wide and in the slot.

Weaknesses: James has solid speed and a feisty demeanor, but his lack of size, length and play strength is a limiting factor. He has a hard time getting off blocks in the run game, and is hit and miss when it comes to getting into receivers’ chests in press man. His generally aggressive play style also tends to work against him at times, resulting in questionable angles or missed tackles as well as a loss of leverage against subtle fakes from receivers.

2024 review

Stats: 0 games

Season recap: One of two Auburn cornerbacks drafted by the Seahawks, James entered the NFL as the 192nd overall selection in the sixth round of the 2024 draft. Like his former teammate Nehemiah Pritchett, he too was placed on the non-football injury list ahead of training camp but eventually activated shortly thereafter. Once in camp, he competed for a backup spot in the slot.

The Seahawks gave him plenty of opportunities both in practice and preseason to earn that role. However, James proved himself inconsistent especially during the exhibition schedule: playing 153 snaps, opposing quarterbacks went 8-of-9 for 84 yards with two touchdowns targeting him. He also missed a costly tackle attempt leading to another TD and was penalized twice.

As a consequence of his uneven-at-best performance during the summer, James was waived ahead of the roster cutdown deadline and left Seattle. He eventually joined the Patriots’ practice squad two weeks into the regular season, and spent the rest of his rookie campaign there without seeing any playing time. He was retained by the organization via a reserve/futures contract after the season.

2025 preview

Position: Multiple CB | Ability: Depth player/Role player | Contract: Signed through 2025

What will be his role? James may not be a starter at this stage in his career, but his ability to line up both inside and outside might help him carve out a role as a backup at multiple positions or a rotational nickel and dime defender. As such, he will compete for a roster or practice squad spot against similarly versatile players such as Alex Austin or Isaiah Bolden.

What is his growth potential? James was projected to come off the board as early as the late third round in last year’s draft, but eventually remained unselected until late in Round 6. While the NFL might not have been as hot on him as media evaluators and forecasters, there is no denying he offers some talent. If he can overcome his size limitations — a big if, to be honest — he could become a starter-level contributor further down the line.

Does he have positional versatility? James spent most of his rookie season in the slot, but has extensive experience on the outside from his time at Oregon and Auburn. He also appeared on five kicking game units during his rookie preseason in Seattle.

What is his salary cap situation? The futures contract James signed with the Patriots in January came with a base salary of $840,000 — a number that simultaneously functions as his cap hit for the 2025 season. With it not large enough for Top 51 status and no guarantees in the pact, James currently has not impact on New England’s books.

How safe is his roster spot? Despite James possibly offering some untapped potential, his spot on the Patriots’ roster is anything but secure. The team, after all, has several players vying for a limited number of roster spots behind the projected top three of Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones. Given his relatively quiet offseason, he currently appears to be on the outside looking in.

Summary: The Patriots’ cornerback competition projects to be an intense one this offseason, and James should get every opportunity to prove himself worthy of a spot on the team. And despite his uncertain projection at this point, as well as the weaknesses mentioned above, the team’s coaching staff might see something in him worth developing — just like its previous iteration did in 2024.