The New England Patriots’ safety group experienced some major turnover in the first year under head coach Mike Vrabel. But while the departures of long-time starters Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers as well as the addition of fourth-round draft pick Craig Woodson stood out, they were not the only notable moves made by the club at the position in 2025.
The Patriots also opted to sign another safety from a rival’s practice squad. Now entering his second season in the NFL, and first full year in New England,
John Saunders Jr. will be fighting for a spot on the team this summer.
Hard facts
Name: John Saunders Jr.
Position: Safety
Jersey number: 23 (b)
Opening day age: 24 (10/24/2001)
Measurements: 6’2 3/8”, 211 lbs, 32 1/8” arm length, 77 1/2” wingspan, 9 3/8” hand size, 4.57s 40-yard dash, 6.81s 3-cone drill, 4.32s short shuttle, 37” vertical jump, 10’6” broad jump, 14 bench press reps, 8.60 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
NFL: Miami Dolphins (2025), England Patriots (2025-) | College: Miami (OH) (2020-22), Ole Miss (2023-24)
A two-way standout, Saunders Jr.finished his senior year at High Point Christian in High Point, NC, with 900 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns as well as six interceptions. The three-star cornerback prospect turned his production into a scholarship offer from Miami University, where he spent three seasons and appeared in 22 games with 15 starts and five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
However, ahead of the RedHawks’ bowl game in December 2022, Saunders Jr. entered the transfer portal. Rated as a four-star transfer, he joined Ole Miss less than three weeks later, and finished his college career with the Rebels.
His change of college came with a change of position: previously a cornerback, Saunders Jr. moved to safety. He flourished in what ended up being a multi-positional role that saw him line up all over the formation. Starting all 26 games over his two seasons in the SEC, he added six more interceptions and f0ur forced fumbles to his college résumé.
Even though he progressed nicely throughout his college career, Saunders Jr. did not hear his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft. He started out with the Dolphins and later joined the Patriots, and is still waiting for his first NFL game action.
Scouting report
Strengths: Standing at 6-foot-2 with long arms, Saunders Jr. has good size for the safety position. He combines it with some burst and quickness as well as proper play diagnosis skills; he is comfortable in his reads and commits to them without much hesitation. He also has shown a knack for the football, registering 11 interceptions and five forced fumbles during his college career. His receiver background shines through repeatedly, allowing him to make plays on the ball and be competitive in contested catch situations; he times his jumps and turn-arounds well and has natural hands. He also offers good versatility and has experience playing multiple spots in the secondary.
Weaknesses: Saunders Jr. is not the most rangy player from the safety position, with his 48th-percentile long speed a potential hindrance in single-high looks; despite his theoretical versatility, he might be better suited in a box safety role. He also has only average change of direction skills and sometimes does not pull the downhill trigger versus the run quite as violently as one would like. In general, he is a well-rounded player who lacks any true blue-chip traits. His ball production also comes at a cost, as he sometimes gives up plays and sacrifices sound tackling while trying to create turnovers.
2025 review
Stats: N/A
Season recap: Despite being a productive player in college, Saunders Jr. projected as a rookie free agent heading toward the NFL Draft. That was precisely what his fate ended up being: he did not hear his name called among the 257 players picked that year, and instead had to test the open market. It did not take him long to find a home, however, and he joined the Dolphins as part of their first UDFA signing wave after the draft.
He went on to spend roughly six months in Miami, and along the way played 85 defensive snaps over the course of three preseason games. But even though he registered an interception, he was unable to crack the Dolphins’ 53-man roster and instead started out on the practice squad.
In late October, after they had traded fellow safety Kyle Dugger to the Steelers, the Patriots signed Saunders Jr. off the Dolphins’ developmental roster. He remained on New England’s active roster for the required minimum period of three weeks but did not see any game action during that time; he came closest in Week 11 against the Jets but despite making the game day roster never actually entered the field.
After the three-week period, Saunders Jr. was released and re-signed via the Patriots’ own practice squad. He spent the rest of the 2025 season there and, despite no game day promotions to his name, was retained through a futures contract after the Super Bowl.
2026 preview
Position: Box safety/Big nickel | Ability: Camp body/Practice squad candidate | Contract: Signed through 2026 (2027 ERFA)
What will be his role? Saunders Jr. projects as a depth option in the Patriots’ safety room entering 2026, with his skillset best suited for a box or big nickel role. He also has some experience in the kicking game, and could potentially play on all four core units with his projected defensive playing time limited to rotational duty.
What is his growth potential? From a physical and athletic perspective, Saunders Jr. appears to be relatively maxed-out already. There is some potential development in terms of tackling and play aggression, but he should not be expected to suddenly make a major jump in his second season. Accordingly, his ceiling appears to be that of a third safety and kicking game contributor.
Does he have positional versatility? As mentioned above, Saunders Jr. has some flexibility as a multi-purpose safety. He looks better suited as a classic box defender or strong safety who can move into the slot, though, than as a free safety-type operator or perimeter cornerback. He also should be able to contribute on multiple special teams units, having played on punt return, punt coverage and kickoff coverage as well as field goal/extra point block during his rookie preseason.
What is his salary cap situation? Saunders Jr’s contract is as straight-forward as there is in the NFL. His one-year futures contract pays him the veteran’s minimum for a player of his experience, meaning he is due a base salary of $1.01 million. With none of that number guaranteed and no signing bonus or else as part of the pact, it also functions as his cap hit. This means that he currently does not qualify for Top 51 status, meaning he has currently no impact on New England’s books.
How safe is his roster spot? Saunders Jr. is firmly on the roster bubble heading toward his first training camp as a Patriot. His career trajectory thus far suggests so, as does his easy-to-move-on-from contract. In order to avoid getting cut, he likely will need to beat out at least two of Dell Pettus, Mike Brown and Peter Manuma.
Summary: Saunders Jr. has some traits worth developing and is entering 2026 with some experience in the system under his belt, but overall appears to be facing an uphill climb to make the Patriots’ roster. He could be a prime practice squad candidate yet again, though, if he shows improvement from his rookie campaign.
What do you think about John Saunders Jr. heading into the 2026 season? Will he factor into the safety mix? Or is the practice squad his ultimate destination again? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.
