FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots cornerback Charles Woods has been on a metaphorical roller-coaster ride since last week’s league-imposed 53-man roster deadline — a journey which would surprisingly take him coast-to coast.
After being waived by the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday, the 25-year-old awaited Wednesday’s waiver wire as he planned for the continuation of his NFL future. Much to his surprise, it was the Patriots, not the Rams, who would enlist his services by claiming him.
Though he largely expected to return to Los Angeles, Woods is excited to make the cross-country trek to southern New England.
“It was nerve-wracking,” Woods told ESPN’s Mike Reiss at Gillette Stadium on Thursday. “Being a competitive athlete, it was nerve-wracking to just wait. But, I talked with my agents and the coaches … there was a plan in place for me to return [to the Rams] on the practice squad and eventually get elevated to the 53-man … but then my agent called me out of the blue and said ‘the Pats claimed you’ — so, i was excited, fired up and ready to go.”
Woods originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Rams in May 2024 out of Southern Methodist. The 5’11” 185-pound defensive back spent the majority of the season on Los Angeles’ 53-man roster before finishing the year on the practice squad. He played in 12 games and finished with one tackle on defense and one special teams tackle. He was released by the Rams on Aug. 26, 2025.
As a member of the Patriots, Woods is expected to help fill the void left by second-year slot cornerback Marcellas Dial — who suffered a season-ending ACL tear during training camp. Accordingly, he should provide support to fellow corner Marcus Jones. Last season, the SMU product played most of his snaps in the slot, with 55 of his 91 defensive snaps coming as a slot corner (60.4 percent.) Woods was most effective for the Rams as a blitzer in big nickel packages and in screen support. During this year’s preseason, he allowed just four catches on nine targets.
Woods’ most-immediate impact on New England’s roster, however, will likley come on special teams. The Dallas native played on five different third-phase units last season, taking 54.9 percent of the team’s snaps in the kicking game.
Whether he is deployed on defense or special teams, Woods is cognizant of the opportunity presented to him by joining the Patriots. While his Patriots tenure currently includes only one team practice, Woods is already making himself at home in his new surroundings.
“It’s great … the players are very welcoming and the coaches are very welcoming,” Woods said. “It seems like it’s a player-led team here. The guys have a lot of fun and I can’t wait to join in.”
