Report: Patriots Virtually Met With Big Cornerback

The New England Patriots have a nice depth at cornerback. However, this hasn’t stopped the team from checking out other options. According to recent reports, the Patriots had a video teleconference meeting with a 2020 NFL Draft cornerback prospect.

New England was one of 16 teams who contacted Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler. The information was confirmed by SBNation’s Justin Melo reported last week.

The cornerback is 6-foot-2, 188 pounds, and he is a third-round prospect. Dantzler ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash with a 34.5-inch vertical leap at the NFL Scouting Combine. However, he didn’t complete his workout due to a quad injury. The cornerback ran a much faster 4.38-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, as revealed by his agency.

According to Pro Football Focus, Dantzler let up just 14 catches on 29 targets for 222 yards with a touchdown and interception this past season. The cornerback let up just one touchdown and had five interceptions throughout his three-year college career.

New England snatched another tall cornerback in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Joejuan Williams arrived at the right time. The Patriots also have Stephon Gilmore, JC Jackson, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones, Justin Bethel, D’Angelo Ross and Lenzy Pipkins in the cornerback unit.

The Patriots may not need a cornerback

The Patriots have to address a few issues this offseason. Head coach Bill Belichick lost valuable players at several positions. Nineteen players were set to enter the open market, and most of them signed contracts with different teams. Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He won’t return in the near future because the Bucs gave him a two-year deal. Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Roberts are out of the organization, too. Belichick has his hands full at the moment. He will have to replace his talented players with new names. The Patriots head coach knows how to pick the best players in every NFL Draft. But, he can also trade for a few players.

New England will make a few big changes this offseason. The process has already started. Finding a quarterback is a priority now. Belichick has a plan B.