For what feels like the first time in forever, the New England Patriots received positive injury news. Rookie second-round cornerback Duke Dawson officially returned from the injured reserve and will be back to play in Week 12 against the New York Jets. Prior to Week One, the Patriots placed Dawson on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Now healthy for the first time all season, what should the Patriots expect out of their rookie cornerback?
What Duke Dawson Brings to the New England Patriots
Duke Dawson doesn’t exactly have a lot of professional tape to dissect. The rookie battled through injury in the preseason and didn’t play up to his ability. He spent most of his time playing with the third-string defense, which obviously isn’t a good thing. That said, if the Patriots felt Dawson couldn’t contribute, they wouldn’t have bothered bringing him off the IR.
With nothing better to go off of, let’s take a look back at what Dawson did with the Florida Gators. Based on his college tape, Dawson will likely spend the majority of his time lined up in the slot. While he’s not the most athletic player, he’s an intelligent corner who makes the most of his skillset.
Back in 2017, Dawson led the Gators defense with four interceptions. Additionally, Dawson broke up nine additional passes while showing strong tackling ability and a willingness to play against the run. He’s not the fastest guy in the world by any means, but he has quick acceleration and can play well in the shorter parts of the field.
While he has a fairly low ceiling relative to the average second-round pick, Dawson is an NFL-caliber player who can contribute on a defense. The only question is how do the Patriots incorporate Dawson into the defense?
Where Does Dawson Fit?
Dawson is clearly made to be a slot cornerback, but the Patriots already have a pretty solid one in third-year defensive back Jonathan Jones. Jones is far from an All-Pro, but the former undrafted free agent has carved out a solid role for himself in the Patriots defense. Serving as the team’s primary slot cornerback, Jones has broken up six passes and recorded two interceptions in his 10 games played. Entering the bye week, Pro Football Focus has Jones ranked as the 57th-best cornerback in football with an above average 63.6 grade.
Right now, it looks as though Jones will block Dawson from being a regular part of the defense. However, Dawson still has a long-term path to playing time. Jones is in the final year of his contract and is a restricted free agent at seasons’ end. New England always likes to address a need one year early, so they’re sure to give Dawson some snaps to see if he’s a worthy heir to the slot cornerback position. Jones will probably be back for 2019, but he might not stick around beyond that.
Special Teams Shakeup
For now, it looks as though Dawson will primarily see snaps with the special teams unit. New England’s kick and punt coverage haven’t met expectations and Dawson can go a long way in fixing that. Per Football Outsiders, the Patriots special teams unit is currently the 18th-best unit in the league, and the film backs up that mediocre ranking. Bill Belichick cannot be happy with this and Dawson’s presence should immediately help.
When the Patriots brought Dawson onto the 53-man roster, they also released special teams linebacker, Nicholas Grigsby. Grigsby is a hyper-athletic linebacker who was supposed to be a special teams mainstay throughout the season. However, despite playing in 55.25% of special teams snaps, Grisby was a liability in kick coverage all season.
While Dawson will probably jump in on special teams, there is the chance the Patriots get weird with things. Jonathan Jones initially entered the league as a special teamer and was one of the better members of the unit. While he’s still playing 54.92% of special teams snaps, his role has slightly dropped since he’s also playing 62.12% of defensive snaps.
Jones’ superior speed and experience probably makes him the better special teams player at this point in his career. Should New England feel Dawson and Jones can handle the slot, the Patriots might opt to play Jones more on special teams. Doing this should allow Dawson to see the field more on defense, as Jones won’t be able to go wire-to-wire on defense and special teams. Granted, this is a long shot, but it could happen if New England believes Dawson is ready for a sizable role right out of the gate.
Last Word On Duke Dawson
Duke Dawson came back at the perfect time for the New England Patriots. The roster has been decimated with injuries and could use healthy reinforcements. Dawson battled injuries throughout the offseason and has limited tape as a professional.
However, Dawson was a solid slot cornerback with the Florida Gators. While he struggles against speedier guys, he flashed good ball skills during his 2017 campaign. Additionally, Dawson isn’t afraid to play physical, has great acceleration and lateral agility, and isn’t afraid to step up and face the run.
Finding a spot for him on the defensive side of the ball could be tricky in the short term. The Patriots already have a good slot cornerback in Jonathan Jones, and Dawson doesn’t have the speed and athleticism required to consistently match up against outside receivers. However, even with Jones blocking him on defense, Dawson should be able to immediately contribute on an underwhelming special teams unit.
While it isn’t likely, the Patriots could give Dawson a bigger role on defense while using Jones on special teams. In this scenario, Jones would still be the primary slot corner, but Dawson could eat into his snaps. It’s an unlikely possibility, but it still could happen if the coaching staff feels Dawson can match Jones’ production in the slot.
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