New England Patriots corner Christian Gonzalez, and his contract, have been a hot topic of the offseason. Now, an NFL insider believes a deal will get done soon. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport believes that a deal will get done before the opening week of the season.
This would be perfect timing. The Patriots are scheduled to take on the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, September 9, to open up the year. There is already a ton of excitement surrounding the game. A deal for Gonzalez would be the proverbial cherry on top.
Insider Gives Patriots Timeline
Rapoport gave a timeline, during a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show earlier this week.
“Before the season, I think there’s a good chance [Christian Gonzalez] gets a new deal. I imagine he’s gonna get a huge deal. I imagine the Patriots will make it work. I just don’t know that it’s going to be imminent. He is a great player and he deserves all of the dollars. It’s just a matter of when that thing can get done and how high.”
Latest Updates Indicate Busy Time For Gonzalez
There have been plenty of new updates regarding Gonzalez and his contract. Most recently, the Patriots officially exercised Gonzalez’s fifth-year option for the 2027 season. The option itself guarantees him a little over $18 million for 2027. This gives the Patriots a bit of breathing room until the 2027 season.
As far as the season is concerned, the corner is extremely affordable. He is scheduled to make a base salary of just 2.25 million with a total cash value of 2.8 million.
Most recently, Gonzalez has not shown up at voluntary OTA’s. This has nothing to do with health. Rather, it could be viewed as a power play. He could use this as leverage for a new deal. In the meantime, Coach Mike Vrabel has indicated that he remains in contact with Gonzalez over the course of these workouts
Gonzalez Has Been Patriots Star Year After Year
This latest development would be a massive boost for the Patriots organization. He has been a cornerstone of the Patriots’ defense and organization ever since his arrival into the league. He was selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Since then, he has been able to showcase his skill set and lock down the Patriots’ secondary.
The accolades match his play on the field overall. He earned accolades almost immediately. The 2023 season saw him win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month award for September as well as the Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week for his performance against the Miami Dolphins. The corner was instrumental in locking down Tyreek Hill.
2025 saw Gonzalez make a major impact as well. He was named to his first Pro Bowl as well as the All-Pro Second-Team. He was the Patriots’ Defensive Player of the Year, further displaying his importance to the organization on the field.
Overall, he has recorded three interceptions and 24 pass deflections over the course of 34 games. The playmaker has also proved himself to be a strong tackler, recording 145 total tackles over the course of three seasons. The Oregon product has been able to fully immerse himself in the Patriots’ defense and has become a player that the Patriots value.
Now, it sounds like the Patriots will value him by paying him well on his new deal. At the very least, Gonzalez, the Patriots organization, and the fans will all get closure on a potential deal.
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