Christian Gonzalez skipped Patriots OTAs as he pursues a new contract. While such a move naturally leads to questions about his future with the franchise, the star cornerback made it clear that he wants to stick in New England for the long haul. After attending today’s mandatory minicamp, Gonzalez reiterated his desire to ink an extension with the team that drafted him.
[RELATED: Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez Absent From OTAs]
“Of course, I want to be here. I’ve said this multiple times,” Gonzalez told the New England beat (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “I’ve been drafted here. I want to be rewarded as a Patriot. I love this town. I love this city. So of course I want to be here.”
When asked about his decision to attend mandatory practices (and avoid any fines), Gonzalez explained to reporters that he’s “got obligations.” The cornerback was also pressed on any self-imposed deadline regarding negotiations, with reporters explicitly asking him about his status for training camp later this summer.
“Training camp, I’m not worried about that,” Gonzalez said. “We are in mandatory minicamp right now, so that’s what we’re focused on as we get into that.”
The 2023 first-round pick just became extension eligible this offseason, so there’s no real urgency for the two sides to agree on a long-term pact. However, if the Patriots truly intend to keep Gonzalez around for the foreseeable future, it’d probably be in their best interest to agree to an extension sooner than later. Contracts at the position continue to explode, with Trent McDuffie recently reseting the cornerback market following his trade to the Rams.
McDuffie will earn a position-leading $124MM and $50MM in guaranteed money on his deal, and there’s a chance Gonzalez at least leaps his peer’s $31MM in average annual salary. It’s worth noting that fellow 2023 first-rounder Devon Witherspoon is also seeking an extension, and the Seahawks’ star notably has the same representation as Gonzalez. Whichever team gets to the finish line first may get a slight discount when all is said and done.
Gonzalez is coming off a productive two-year stretch that’s seen him emerge as one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks. He finished last season ranked 14th on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings, and Gonzalez also had a standout performance in the playoffs (including the Super Bowl, where he was one of the few Patriots to show up).
After years of draft futility, the Patriots will have to navigate some expensive extensions over the next few years. Drake Maye will be extension eligible next offseason, so agreeing to a Gonzalez deal ASAP will provide the front office some cost certainty moving forward.