Jalen Mills was released by the New England Patriots in March but was then picked back up by the organization shortly after.
Some have pondered the reasoning for that initial release, but it isn’t something Mills wants to give that much energy to at the moment. Right now, he’s putting his focus completely into football.
Mills recorded 31 tackles and two interceptions last season. In 2023, he’s looking to move from cornerback to the safety position. He’ll be contributing to a group that includes the likes of Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers and possibly even rookie Marte Mapu.
His presence in the defensive backfield will only help what was a stalwart New England defense last season. The Patriots ranked seventh overall in holding opponents to 105.5 rushing yards per game, as well as only 322 passing yards allowed per contest.
Mills is excited to contribute and show off a bit more versatility this time around.
“It gives me the ability to not only show my versatility but be around the ball a little more and make more plays,” said Mills, via NESN’s Zack Cox.
Jalen Mills didn’t want to talk about his release/re-signing situation from this offseason. Said he wanted to stay with the Patriots and is happy he could. He’s also excited to take on a more versatile role this season. pic.twitter.com/gXpbDn0mfI
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) June 6, 2023
Mills in a permanent safety role will be intriguing, as his athleticism could be beneficial to New England with a regular season schedule that features multiple top-tier passing offenses.
