Former Patriots starter is dropped from likely last-place team
Jalen Mills didn’t stay in the Meadowlands long.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported Thursday morning that Mills was released by the Giants. The veteran defensive back, who was on the NFI list with a calf strain, signed a one-year deal worth nearly $1.4 million with New York in March.
Mills joined the G-Men after playing three years with the Patriots, who signed the 30-year-old for four years and $24 million in March 2021. Mills played 43 games for New England – 34 of them as a starter – and recorded 123 total tackles with 13 passes defended, two interceptions, two quarterback hits and one forced fumble.
A return to Foxboro, Massachusetts, is highly unlikely for Mills unless he gets injured. The secondary is one of the few areas where the Patriots are set up for success in 2024, as Jerod Mayo’s group features above-average tandems at both the cornerback position (Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones) and safety position (Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers).
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Pepper, however, should be able to find a job elsewhere in the NFL. Schefter reported that the eight-year veteran is healthy again from his calf injury and “should attract interest” on the open market.
Ironically, two of Mills’ former teams – the Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles – will face off in a preseason game at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night.
