Patriots sign special teams ace Cody Davis

Nate Ebner’s likely replacement.

The New England Patriots have signed special teams contributor and safety Cody Davis, according to his agent Jordan Wroy. Davis has the opportunity to fill in for special teams stud Nate Ebner, who left New England for the New York Giants last week.

Davis entered the NFL in 2013 as an undrafted free agent, and he earned a spot on the Rams’ roster. He has since made a living on special teams, with five seasons on the Rams and two seasons in Jacksonville. He has amassed 83 tackles, and he earned a captain nod in 2019 with the Jaguars. He took over 80 percent of special teams snaps in his two years in Jacksonville.

The Patriots lack depth at the safety position, and Davis played 59.3 percent of defensive snaps for the Rams in 2017. But a defensive role feels like a long shot. After all, Ebner was labelled a safety, but only occasionally played the position in goal-line situations.

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