Nothing provides cover for missing OTAs like having a teammate whose absence from the voluntary practices gets all the attention.
In New England, free-agent receiver Stefon Diggs had been the focal point until he showed up on Monday. That kept the absences of cornerback Carlton Davis III from being noticed.
Via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, Davis had not been present for any of the OTA sessions that had been open to reporters until Thursday.
In March, the Patriots signed Davis to a three-year, $54 million contract, with $34.5 million guaranteed.
The 28-year-old arrived in the NFL as a second-round pick of the Buccaneers in 2018. After six years in Tampa, he was traded to the Lions last year.
Davis appeared in 13 games for Detroit. A fractured jaw suffered against the Bills in Week 15 sidelined him for the rest of the season.
In New England, he’s expected to join Christian Gonzalez as the starting cornerbacks.
