The Patriots’ secondary took a big hit this week.
New England cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr. was carted off the field Monday after tearing his ACL during training camp and will miss the rest of the season, the team announced Tuesday.
The injury adds to what has been a tough summer for the Patriots’ cornerback unit.
All-Pro corner Christian Gonzalez suffered a hamstring injury in late July, while free agent addition Carlton Davis III has been in and out of practice with an undisclosed injury.
Cornerbacks Alex Austin and Marcus Jones are expected to get more run if injury troubles for Gonzalez and Davis III persist.
Dial Jr. was a major part of New England’s special teams unit, playing in 83.3 percent of those snaps last season, which were the second-most on the team.
In 17 appearances in 2024, Dial Jr. recorded 12 tackles with a forced fumble, including five total tackles during a Week 18 game against the Bills, his first and only start of the season.
Dial Jr. was drafted 180th overall in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft after three seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The Patriots are entering Year 1 of a new era under head coach Mike Vrabel.
The franchise is hoping for continued growth from second-year quarterback Drake Maye, whom the team drafted No. 2 overall in 2024.
