- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,256,221
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Patriots Receive Christian Gonzalez Contract Warning As Market Explodes originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots have watched the price of keeping Christian Gonzalez climb throughout the offseason. It could soon become even more expensive.
Nine players selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft have agreed to lucrative contract extensions. Gonzalez, however, remains without a new deal as he prepares for his fourth season in New England. The Patriots still have contractual control over Gonzalez. They exercised the star cornerback’s fifth-year option earlier in the offseason, keeping him under contract through the 2027 campaign.
That gives the two sides time, but it does not guarantee New England will benefit by waiting.
Christian Gonzalez Is Watching A Different Market
None of the four cornerbacks selected in the first round of the 2023 draft has signed an extension. Seattle Seahawks star Devon Witherspoon, the fifth overall selection that year, could become the player who establishes the market. Gonzalez went 17th overall, behind Witherspoon, Emmanuel Forbes and Deonte Banks.
Draft order no longer tells the complete story. Gonzalez quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s premier young cornerbacks. His rookie season was cut short by a shoulder injury, but his performance since returning has validated New England’s belief that it found a foundational defender in the middle of the first round.
The question now is how the Patriots value him compared to the league’s other elite cornerbacks. That answer becomes more complicated every time another young star signs a record-setting deal. The 2023 draft class already has produced massive extensions at edge rusher, defensive tackle, offensive tackle, wide receiver, running back and linebacker.
Will Anderson Jr. reportedly received $150 million over three years from the Houston Texans. Jalen Carter landed a four-year, $152 million agreement with the Philadelphia Eagles. Seattle gave Jaxon Smith-Njigba a reported four-year extension worth $168.6 million. Gonzalez does not play any of those positions, but the overall trend is unmistakable. NFL teams increasingly are paying their cornerstone players before they reach free agency.
MORE: Bill Belichick’s Hall Of Fame Snub Looks Worse Than Ever
Patriots Risk Paying More By Waiting
Witherspoon’s eventual deal could have a direct effect on Gonzalez’s negotiations. If Seattle makes Witherspoon one of the NFL’s highest-paid cornerbacks, Gonzalez’s representatives will have a fresh comparison to use at the negotiating table. Another member of the 2023 class receiving a major extension also would make it more difficult for New England to argue for patience or a discounted agreement.
The Patriots do not need to make a rushed decision. Gonzalez is under contract for two more seasons, and injuries always create risk when discussing a long-term commitment. Waiting carries its own danger, though.
Cornerback salaries are unlikely to decline, especially with the NFL salary cap continuing to rise. If Gonzalez delivers another elite season, his leverage only will increase. What looks expensive in August could look like a missed opportunity by January.
New England also must consider the message an extension would send. Head coach Mike Vrabel is attempting to build a sustainable contender around young talent, and Gonzalez is precisely the type of player the Patriots should want to reward.
The Patriots have time. What they no longer have is a quiet market.
Once Witherspoon or another young cornerback signs, the cost of keeping Gonzalez could change overnight.
More Patriots
- Latest Patriots news
- Tom Brady's Patriots legacy: How legendary QB set new standard
- Complete history of Patriots championships
Continue reading...
