The Patriots have reportedly visited with one of the top unsigned veteran defensive backs.
Cornerback Terrell Thomas, who played for the Giants last season, had a tryout with New England, Howard Balzer of The Sports Xchange reported Thursday.
The 29-year-old Thomas played 16 games (seven starts) for New York in 2013, recording 67 tackles, defending seven passes and intercepting one pass. He had missed the 2011 and 2012 seasons with anterior cruciate ligament injuries in his right knee.
A willing tackler, Thomas (6-0, 191) has notched 298 tackles and intercepted 12 passes in regular season play since entering the NFL with the Giants in 2007. When healthy, he was a productive member of the Giants’ defense, and he was able to contribute regularly a season ago; according to Pro Football Focus, Thomas logged 588 snaps in the 2013 regular season, an average of around 37 snaps per contest.
The Patriots have made some big changes to their cornerback corps in the offseason, signing Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. Browner, a former Pro Bowler with Seattle, will be suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season.