By now, it isn’t news that there’s no real news about the contract negotiations between the New England Patriots and Christian Gonzalez. That lack of news has now started to lead to criticism of owner Robert Kraft, including from Bill Simmons.
On Sunday, Adam Schefter revealed on Twitter/X that Kraft, as chairman of the Compensation Committee, had sent out a notice that the owners were extending Roger Goodell as commissioner. That’s when Simmons took the opportunity to dunk on him for apparently knowing how to finalize extensions away from the Patriots themselves.
“Kraft announces a Goodell extension but not Christian Gonzalez – you can’t make this sh*t up,” Simmons wrote.
Gonzalez is widely recognized as one of, if not the best, young cornerbacks in the NFL. Entering his fourth season, the Patriots picked up his fifth-year option. So, he’s under team control for the next two years but remains severely underpaid and looking for that extension.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft previously said that the team made an offer to make him the highest-paid corner. That was before Devon Witherspoon signed his extension with the Seattle Seahawks. On top of that, other reports indicate language in that deal made it less appealing. That includes guaranteed money and how the money is delivered at signing.
“I’m still frustrated,” Gonzalez said recently. “Like I said a week ago, I got stuff to do.
There are Concerns New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft is Being Cheap
Bill Simmons was touching on something that has been a growing concern for Patriots fans. The idea that Robert Kraft may be getting cheap with Christian Gonzalez during these negotiations.
For decades under Bill Belichick, the Patriots were known for avoiding massive contracts. Even with Tom Brady, deals tended to be under market value, and the roster was built with a willingness to let overly expensive players walk. That did consistently help build deeper rosters. However, times have changed and some people don’t believe Kraft has fully moved on from them.
In the 2025 NFLPA report card of the Patriots, the team was criticized for the weight room, which ranked 32nd in the NFL, and team travel, which ranked 31st in the NFL. The report read, “Additionally, team travel remains a significant concern—only 39% of players feel they have comfortable amount of space on flights when traveling to games. The plane is dated – it lacks Wi-Fi and still has ashtrays in the seats.” Meanwhile, Kraft himself was ranked 29th among owners.
The NFLPA report did note signs of progress. That includes the $50 million facility built near the stadium, known as the New Balance Athletics Center. Regardless, fans remember reports like the one that came from the NFLPA.
Despite all of that, there is still an expectation among many people that a deal will get done between the Patriots and Gonzalez. ESPN’s Mike Reiss said, “I feel like recently there’s been movement in the right direction…they’re still talking.” Then, former NFL head coach Mike Smith added that he believes a deal will get done.
“The NFL is a player-driven league. It will always be that, and I believe Gonzalez will get his deal,” Smith said. “Mr. Kraft is not going to let that guy walk. There are negotiations and a bit of a dance going on, but it’s just a matter of days before this situation gets resolved. It’s not a tough situation either. It’s an easy one. He will be the highest-paid cornerback of all time. They just need to agree on by how much he will be the highest paid.”
Patriots HC Mike Vrabel on Staying out of Contract Negotiations
The contract negotiations are having an impact on everyone within the Patriots. That includes head coach Mike Vrabel, who has to find a way to balance being on both sides of the coin.
“I think it’s an interesting dynamic. I’ve been on both sides. I think what’s important for me is to try to communicate, try to explain the players that we really want to build around and have. I’ve done that with Gonzo, and everybody knows that, Vrabel said.
“So, I don’t get involved in the negotiations per se, but I certainly want to be involved in trying to get the situation resolved. That’s really what I try to do throughout my job, my day here, is what the issues are, what’s in front of us and what we have to do to help the team. It’s a delicate balance that we have to wage. I want to be able to just continue to prepare for Seattle and focus on all the things that we’re going to have to do to beat an excellent football team with our team and the players that we have and how we get off to a really good start here.”
For now, Vrabel, Gonzalez, and the rest of the Patriots are hoping to be able to focus on the opener this Wednesday. If a deal gets done before that, great, but focusing on the game is also incredibly important.
Bill Simmons Takes Shot at Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Over Contracts