Report: Carlton Davis III, Patriots Agree to 3-Year, $60M Contract After Lions Stint

The New England Patriots and cornerback Carlton Davis III have agreed to a three-year, $60 million contract with $34.5 million fully guaranteed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, who added that the deal was negotiated by David Mulugheta and Trevon Smith of Athletes First.

Davis played his first six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, helping the team win Super Bowl LV to cap the 2020 campaign. He then landed with the Detroit Lions via trade last March and suited up for them last year before entering free agency.

The Patriots entered this offseason with more than $125 million in cap space, by far the most in the league. So it's no surprise that the team is going out in free agency to use it, especially after the Pats finished dead last in the AFC East with a 4-13 record. Plus, New England has to do its best to take advantage of quarterback Drake Maye's rookie contract and the salary cap flexibility that provides at the moment.

So enter Davis, who should form a solid one-two punch at cornerback with promising young talent Christian Gonzalez, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft who finished Second Team All-Pro last year.

Last season, Davis helped turn around a Lions defense that went from 23rd to seventh in scoring from 2023 to 2024. He started 13 games, amassing 56 tackles (42 solo), 11 pass breakups and two interceptions. Unfortunately, Davis' season ended prematurely after he suffered a fractured jaw in Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills.

But he'll be good to go for the 2025 season, joining a defense that also added Tennessee Titans linebacker Harold Landry on a three-year, $43.5 million deal ($26 million guaranteed), Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams on a $26 million-per-year deal and Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane on a three-year, $37.5 million contract. Adding those four to a defense that finished 22nd in scoring last year is a good start.