Johnson Bademosi would have been in New England before this season if Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots had their way.

The defensive back mostly has played on special teams throughout his six-year career and the beginning of this season, but Bademosi has played 128 defensive snaps at cornerback over the Patriots’ last two games with starting cornerback Stephon Gilmore still in the concussion protocol. And Mike Lombardi, who was an assistant to New England’s coaching staff from 2014 to 2016, said on The Ringer’s “GM Street” podcast Monday that the Patriots have had their eyes on Bademosi for a while.

“This is a kid who was in Cleveland when I was there,” Lombardi said. “Great special teams player when he was in Cleveland. Always tried to trade for him; Cleveland wouldn’t trade him to us when I was in New England. Then when he became a free agent, we tried to sign him in New England, but he took a better deal to go to Jacksonville … (then) he went to Detroit, but the kid has played really well. I always thought he could play a little better corner than actually people think he’s just a fifth corner. But he tackles really well and he’s helped this Patriots defense.”

Belichick had high praise for Bademosi after his second start Sunday night in the Patriots’ 23-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons so we could see more of him as the season goes on. Bademosi is a free agent in 2018 after signing a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions last season before the Patriots traded a 2019 sixth-round pick for him this offseason.

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