On Monday of last week, the New England Patriots saw their 2023 first-round draft pick, Christian Gonzalez â a second-team All-Pro in his second season â limp off the practice field with a hamstring injury.
The Patriots did not believe that the hamstring problem would keep their star cornerback out off the roster for their Week One matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders on September 7. But the injury is preventing the 23-year-old who was drafted at No. 17 out of Oregon from taking part in practices.
Gonzalez Likely Out For Preseason Opener
New head coach Mike Vrabel said on Sunday that Gonzalez will miss practice this week, effectively ruling him out for Friday’s preseason opener at Gillette Stadium against the Washington Commanders.
The Patriots were shaping up to put one of the league’s top cornerback duos on the field in 2025, with Gonzalez on one side of the field, and the other manned by veteran Carlton Davis III, who was signed to a three-year, $60 million free agent contract in March.
Davis came from a 2024 season with the Detroit Lions in which he posted a career-high Pro Football Focus defensive grade of 74.5. But in Patriots training camp, Davis has so far been an enigma, apparently suffering some sort of undisclosed health issue. Vrabel also said he will also miss practices this week.
Davis Seen on ‘Far’ Practice Field
But Pats Nation Network reporter Pat Lane posted on social media that on Monday, Davis was “out on the far field, in full uniform, working with a coach right now.” The “far” field is where reserve and backup players hold practices, separated from the starters.
Whether Davis will be ready for the September 7 regular season opener remains uncertain.
Now, with both projected starting cornerbacks missing, the Patriots have also lost a top backup corner, who stepped in to take reps from the ailing Gonzalez. At the team practice Monday morning, second-year Patriot Marcellas Dial Jr. was taken off the field in a cart after suffering what Boston Herald reporter Andrew Callahan described as “what appears to be a potentially significant left leg/knee injury.”
Backup Cornerback Dial Goes Down
Several hours later, the Patriots had still issued no public update on the nature of Dial’s injury or any timetable for the length of his expected absence. He reportedly was seen hitting the ground away from the play during 11-on-11 practice reps, and was down for about two minutes before he was carted off for further medical evaluation and treatment.
Dial was the Patriots’ sixth-round selection out of South Carolina in the 2024 draft, under then-coach Jerod Mayo. Of the Patriots’ eight draft picks last year, Dial was the only defensive player taken. `
Dial’s college defensive coordinator, Clayton White, described him as “a great locker room guy, great team player and great special teams player, too.”
Dial Called ‘Absurd Athlete’
The 24-year-old appeared ready to grab an opportunity to show that is indeed what NESN writer Kiegan Stiefel called “an absurd athlete,” who ran a 4.46 second 40-yard dash.
Dial would be playing the second year of a four-season, $4.2 million contract.
Last season, Dial got into all 17 Patriots games but started only one. He allowed four pass completions in five targets for 43 yards.
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