Tag: Terrance Mitchell

Patriots lose veteran practice squad CB to Titans

Titans pick up a player from the Patriots’ practice squad, following their 41-7 blowout loss to the Bills

The Tennessee Titans are looking to do whatever possible to pick up the pieces after getting obliterated 41-7 by the juggernaut Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.

One of the areas they hope to do that is in the secondary by bringing in former New England Patriots practice squad veteran Terrance Mitchell, who was cut initially before being brought back to the team.

It was a bit of a luxury that the Patriots even had a player of Mitchell’s caliber stashed away for a rainy day, but that’s obviously no longer the case with the Titans making the roster move on Wednesday, per NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.

Since being taken in the seventh-round of the 2014 NFL draft, Mitchell has moved around to at least six different teams. So he’s never ended up in a particular place where he’s actually stuck on a roster.

Perhaps the writing was already on the wall in his short stint with a Patriots team that’s showing it has more talent than expected in the defensive backfield.

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Many familiar faces return to practice after initially being cut by Patriots

Multiple preseason fan favorites were back at practice on Wednesday.

There were plenty of familiar faces back at practice after initially being cut by the New England Patriots on Tuesday.

Like the rest of the league, the Patriots went through the tough process of trimming their rosters down to 53 players. On Wednesday, many of the players on the cut list went on waivers with the chance of being claimed by another team.

The Patriots were fortunate that tight end Devin Asiasi was their only former player that got claimed on waivers. So that paved the way for a slew of fan favorites to return, including Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Tre Nixon, J.J. Taylor and LaBryan Ray.

Even veteran cornerback Terrance Mitchell was spotted at practice.

There was also a reported “mystery lineman” wearing a No. 68 jersey. Could it be Drew Desjarlais?

The Patriots will lean on some of their practice squad talent to fill roles at certain points throughout the season for a team that currently has more questions than answers.

At the very least, there are several players within the group that showed they were up for the challenge during the preseason slate.

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Veterans Terrance Mitchell and Harvey Langi being released by Patriots

Mitchell and Langi have both been informed of their release by the Patriots.

The New England Patriots are releasing veteran cornerback Terrance Mitchell and linebacker Harvey Langi by Tuesday’s roster cut deadline, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Mitchell’s release comes as a bit of a surprise considering there’s a lot of youth in the defensive backfield for the Patriots. The veteran journeyman had experience on his side, along with a head coach that typically prioritizes experience over youth.

But coach Bill Belichick must really be impressed by what he’s seen from rookies Jack Jones and Marcus Jones. Both players have had a really strong training camp, including some breakout preseason performances.

They flashed enough to push Mitchell off the roster.

The 30-year-old cornerback has bounced around eight different teams in total, including multiple stops at the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys. He started 13 games for the Texans last season and had 10 pass break-ups and one interception.

Meanwhile, Langi has had a hard time standing out in a deep linebacking corps. The Patriots are aiming to get younger and more athletic at the position, and they didn’t view the 29-year-old as someone with the best chance of helping them in that regard.

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WATCH: Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton jukes CB out of shoes at practice

Yikes! Tyquan Thornton is still waving bye after this juke.

It isn’t quite winter just yet in Foxborough, but rookie receiver Tyquan Thornton had veteran cornerback Terrance Mitchell on skates at Monday’s training camp practice.

Coach Bill Belichick should strongly consider adding “Let It Go” from the movie “Frozen” to the Patriots’ practice music playlist because Thornton is turning the field into a wintery wonderland.

The speed isn’t the only thing that kills when watching the second-round draft pick out of Baylor University go to work. It’s the sudden change of direction with his routes—that small area of tremendous footwork and quickness few have even at this level.

Unfortunately for Mitchell, he was on the receiving end of it in this particular one-on-one matchup.

You can clearly hear all of the oohs and aahs from fans attending the open practice.

The Patriots have been desperately waiting for a young playmaker capable of beating one-on-one coverage and giving the quarterback another reliable target to throw the ball to. This problem goes all the way back to the days when Tom Brady was screaming at the unit to be “faster, quicker and more explosive.”

Thornton might finally be the receiver that gives the Patriots all of the above.

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Patriots’ carousel at cornerback is in full force in training camp

The Patriots are experimenting heavily with their CBs, from Malcolm Butler to Jalen Mills to Jack Jones.

The New England Patriots are still experimenting heavily with their secondary as they enter the padded portion of training camp. It’s common for New England to open competition at every position, but cornerback is a spot where the Patriots seem entirely uncertain.

During the team’s first padded practice on Monday, they deployed Jalen Mills, Joejuan Williams, Terrance Mitchell, Jack Jones and Malcolm Butler on the outside with the top defensive unit. In the slot, New England used Marcus Jones, Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant. That slot spot will be a hotly contested position, which Jonathan Jones owned before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in 2021.

The first practice provided few clues on how these position battles will go. So let’s quickly whip around the position group to note where each player seems to stand as evaluation begins.

  • Jalen Mills: He stands alone in that he seems secure in his gig as one of the top cornerbacks. It’s not a done deal. But New England has given him the most snaps with the top unit and he has played well in those opportunities.
  • Terrance Mitchell: He had been practicing with the top unit going back to OTAs, but on Monday, the Patriots filtered in the other options as practice dragged along. Mitchell has been impressive in how quiet he’s been on the stat sheet. A good cornerback doesn’t show up — neither does his receiver. He has not been a shutdown cornerback, but he has been as consistent as any corner in the group.
  • Malcolm Butler: He has been Mitchell’s foil. Butler has probably been as inconsistent as any corner in the group — but the veteran has provided a few big plays. Monday’s practice was the perfect example, with Butler getting burnt deep in 11-on-11s and in 1-on-1s in matchups against DeVante Parker. Butler then rebounded with two pass breakups (including one near interception) in coverage on Parker and Tyquan Thornton. Maybe Butler has lost a step. Then again, maybe he’s just knocking off rust. We’ll see.
  • Jack Jones: He was up and down in OTAs, but spent a lot of time trailing Nelson Agholor, which is a solid assignment for a rookie cornerback. In camp, Jones has been up and down in that same way. It will be interesting to see whether, with time, Jones can grow consistent enough to compete for a spot in the starting unit.
  • Marcus Jones: He was the first man to take a snap in the slot for the padded session of 11-on-11s. But you can take that “first-team” designation with a grain of salt, because he was on the field with Joejuan Williams, who may not make the team. Marcus Jones, a 2022 third-round pick, will need to be special to steal snaps away from Jonathan Jones.
  • Shaun Wade: With Marcus Jones, Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant dealing with injuries this offseason, Wade took most of the snaps in the slot in OTAs, minicamp and the early days of practice.
  • Jonathan Jones: If he’s healthy, he’ll start in the slot. But considering he’s coming off season-ending surgery at 28-years-old, there is a chance he is coming back slower and less agile.
  • Myles Bryant: For now, he is on the outside of the roster bubble looking in, just like Williams. New England wouldn’t have drafted the two Joneses if they believed in Bryant and Williams.

Before training camp, I predicted the Patriots would not pick starters at cornerback but would rotate heavily to begin the season. That possibility is still entirely in play.

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Terrance Mitchell had a surprising first impression of The Patriot Way

Terrance Mitchell has clearly impressed Bill Belichick in the early days of training camp.

Terrance Mitchell has been one of the early surprises at training camp, with the New England Patriots cornerback spending team drills on the field with last year’s starters in the secondary: Devin McCoury, Kyle Dugger, Jalen Mills, etc.

Mitchell has simply clicked, perhaps even more than cornerback Malcolm Butler, who has not been brilliant in his return to the Patriots amid a comeback from retirement. There isn’t any clearcut reason why Mitchell, set to make just $1.75 million in 2022, has been such a great fit. He doesn’t have familiarity with the defense and the 30-year-old hasn’t been a standout with any other NFL team.

But there was one thing that stood out about his acclimation process in New England. He said Friday that he thinks the organization is “chill.”

That’s not a word players typically use to describe Bill Belichick and The Patriot Way. Intense, detail-oriented, obsessive — those are the words we’ve grown accustomed to hearing.

“Real cool. Nice and chill,” Mitchell said.

That’s a first. How so?

“It’s just a family atmosphere, so it’s just all love. Just a great situation,” he said with a big smile.

In 2021, Mitchell played for the Houston Texans, whose general manager Nick Caserio has established a culture that’s somewhat similar to New England. But Mitchell didn’t see the overlap.

“Nah, there’s only one New England Patriots,” he said. “It’s just championship football. It’s a dynasty. It’s just greatness around here, so that’s what they expect from us.”

It’s early in camp, so it’s not the time to crown Mitchell as the likely starter. (I recently projected that it will be a rotation.) But he has clearly gotten more quality reps than Butler and Jack Jones. Those two will compete with Mitchell and Mills for the starting spots on the outside.

The real evaluation will begin on Monday when the pads go on, which will level the playing field between offense and defense. To his point, the offense has had a distinct advantage, without having to withstand contact (limiting a defensive back’s press capabilities) — and with the cornerbacks wearing mittens (to prevent them from grabbing jerseys). Despite that, Mitchell has not seen many targets, a testament to his strong play.

“(Mitchell) has been in a couple of different defensive systems,” Belichick said Thursday. “Some of the things we’re asking him to do are a little bit different, but he’s adapted well. He’s smart, he’s experienced, he’s a good instinctive player and he’s had some good production through the opportunities while we’ve been here, and understanding what those are and aren’t.”

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Terrance Mitchell had one simple reason for joining Patriots in free agency

New England Patriots cornerback Terrance Mitchell wanted to be a part of the organization.

New England Patriots cornerback Terrance Mitchell had one specific reason for signing with the team back in March.

Mitchell came to New England after playing for the Houston Texans last season. He recorded 16 tackles and an interception in 14 games last season, starting in 13 of them.

Mitchell made an impact for the Texans defense when they faced New England last October. He tallied seven tackles, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble. New England was able to escape from Houston with a 25-22 win.

Now, he is excited to join Patriots for one specific reason, as transcribed by Zach Cox of NESN.com.

“Man, when you think about as a kid, NBA, you’ve got Phil Jackson, the Lakers, the Celtics, the Bulls,” Mitchell said. “And when you think about NFL, dynasties like the Patriots, man — there’s no other. I think every kid growing up in this era, seeing the Patriots and being able to play for them, it’s just crazy. So that’s self-explanatory right there, man. The Pats — that’s the team, for real.”

He will join a Patriot secondary that has been remodeled over the course of this offseason. Most recently, the Patriots were able to add additional help with the draft by selecting cornerbacks Marcus Jones and Jack Jones in the draft last month. They join Malcolm Butler, Jalen Mills and Jonathan Jones, among others.

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Grading the Patriots’ signings, trades and re-signings in free agency

The Patriots have made a tremendous volume of moves, even if most have been unpopular.

The New England Patriots have been busier in free agency than the fanbase has been willing to admit. The Patriots have retained seven of their free agents and restricted free agents. They’ve traded for one new player and signed another. But that’s it for acquisitions.

In the meantime, they’d shipped off one starting offensive lineman, Shaq Mason, and watched another, Ted Karras, depart in free agency. And of course, there’s the biggest departure: star cornerback J.C. Jackson.

Let’s talk about who they retained or added — and about all the trades (including Mason’s departure). Here are the grades for the team’s moves so far.

Report: Patriots to sign former Texans CB Terrance Mitchell on one-year deal

The former Texans CB is the Patriots’ first signing of free agency.

The New England Patriots are signing former Houston Texans cornerback Terrance Mitchell to a one-year deal worth $3 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Mitchell, 29, has spent time with five teams over the course of his seven-year career. Although he isn’t the piece to replace J.C. Jackson, the Patriots added depth to a depleted position following the departure of their star corner. Mitchell joins a crew with Jalen Mills, Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Joejuan Williams, Shaun Wade and Justin Bethel.

Mitchell is a 5-foot-11, 191 pound corner that played in 13 games last season and recorded 60 tackles, along with an interception and ten PBUs. He’s primarily an outside corner and he gave the Patriots issues in the Week 5 matchup this past season.

Mitchell was with Eliot Wolf in Cleveland and Nick Caserio in Houston, so there’s familiarity with him and the organization. Wolf has been leading the charge in free agency and struck a cheap deal to bring in the familiar veteran.

The Patriots still need help at cornerback and still have moves to make — they just won’t be the explosive moves like the 2021 offseason.

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Instant analysis of Patriots agreeing to terms with CB Terrance Mitchell

Is Terrance Mitchell the CB1? Probably not. But he’s a pretty good bargain and a potential starter.

The New England Patriots may not have found their top cornerback for 2022, but they’ve certainly added a playable option in Terrance Mitchell — and for a small sum. The Patriots and Mitchell agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $3 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Mitchell worked as the Texans’ CB2 behind Desmond King, who was also pending free agent but re-signed with the Houston this week. New England might just use Mitchell as a depth option at corner. At least, that’s what the contract indicates: he’s not a shoo-in to start.

But why Mitchell? The Patriots could have signed a number of serviceable options for a similar price. Artie Burns, for example, agreed to terms on a deal for $2 million just a few minutes after Mitchell.

It’s likely that Mitchell won over Patriots executive Eliot Wolf, who has taken on an increased role with the departures of Nick Caserio and Dave Ziegler. Mitchell had a connection with Wolf in Cleveland. That’s where Mitchell first emerged as a starter and a pleasant surprise, particularly in 2020. It’s likely that body of work — when combined with Mitchell’s season in Houston — drew New England to their cornerback.

There’s plenty offseason left, so the Patriots may have plans to add another cornerback in the draft and free agency. But considering how shallow the Patriots are currently at the position, Mitchell has a clear path to starting on the perimeter — for now alongside Jalen Mills.

Mills was, when the Patriots first signed him, working at safety in Philly. There’s a chance the Patriots want to move him back to that position. So it will be interesting: if New England can find a true CB1, then might Mitchell be CB2 and Mills spend more snaps at safety?

New England’s coming moves might tell us more about the composition of the secondary for 2022.

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