Speaking at the NFL annual league meetings Monday, New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft expressed his desire to keep star cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the team for the long-term.
New England’s first-round pick in 2023, Gonzalez’s rookie contract is set to expire at the end of next season. The team can exercise his fifth-year option for the 2027 season and are now eligible to negotiate a long-term extension with the cornerback — something the front office has continued to say is part of their
plans.
“Christian’s a tremendous player. It’s no secret that we’d like to try to get something done with him,” executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said Monday. “He’s a great talent. He’s one of the best players at his position in the NFL. He’s developing as a leader… He’s really just scratching the surface. He’s already up there as an elite talent and we think he can improve even more.”
Extending the 23-year old All-Pro will not be cheap, especially after Gonzalez was one of the Patriots’ best players to conclude last season — hauling in a game-sealing interception in the AFC Championship Game before recording three pass breakups in the Super Bowl. In fact, Gonzalez has a chance to reset the market at the cornerback position. In the results of the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, 68% of participants think the Patriots should do just that and make Gonzalez the highest paid corner in football.
The comment section was largely in agreement.
SuncreamDreams
I’d go 5 years, 150m, 120m guaranteed, that works out at 24m guaranteed a year and some nifty bonus/incentive
For Pats Sake
5 Years, 150M, 100M guaranteed. Gonzo is a better player than Sauce or McDuffie.
WelshPatriot
Whatever he wants. Just do it.
SlotMachinePlayer
I’ve got a first-born male child. I’m sure others here can sweeten the deal.
Sportzballer
The Patriots should pay him. I don’t really have a specific player to model after since Gonzalez is his own situation. What I do know is we have seen attempts to wait or lowball elite players and it almost always backfires.
All in all, this week’s survey results look as follows:
The cornerback market was already reset this offseason after the Los Angeles Rams traded for Trent McDuffie and inked him to a record-setting four-year, $124 million contract with a whopping $100 million guaranteed.
A majority of Patriots fans believe that contract is the best offer to model a potential extension with Gonzalez afterwards — which would then make him the league’s highest paid cornerback. Meanwhile, 30% of fans would prefer a structure to similar to Sauce Gardner, who signed a four-year, $120.4 million deal with $85 million guaranteed. Derek Stingley’s three-year, $90 million deal ($89 million guaranteed) was then an offer that just 12% of participants preferred.
New England has said they are in the business of keeping their best players, which is certainly Gonzalez after he played a huge role in them making Super Bowl LX last season. Currently on FanDuel Sportsbook, the Patriots have the fifth-best odds to get back to the Super Bowl next year — trailing just the Ravens, Bills, Chiefs and Chargers.
