The New England Patriots took care of business with their star cornerback Christian Gonzalez during the early hours of Tuesday morning, on September 8.
According to the NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Gonzalez and the Patriots kicked up extension discussions after they were rumored to be far away. Now, a new deal will be agreed to before Week 1 begins, and the framework is relevant for the Philadelphia Eagles in the coming months.
How Much Are The Patriots Paying Gonzalez?
According to Schultz, the Patriots are going to pay Gonzalez $135 million over four seasons. $102 million out of the deal is guaranteed.
“Conversations between Christian Gonzalez and the Patriots had gone dead, per sources, but the team suddenly got serious with the understanding that the All-Pro CB was simply too valuable not to extend before the season opener,” Schultz reported on X.
The Eagles Get An Idea For Quinyon Mitchell
Soon enough, the Eagles will have to pull out the checkbook for Quinyon Mitchell.
The star cornerback has been a critical part of the Eagles’ defense since entering the league two seasons ago.
Coming out of Toledo, Mitchell was selected No. 22 overall by the Eagles in 2024. He started 16 games as a rookie, racking up 46 tackles and deflecting 12 passes. After nearly winning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Mitchell started for the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning defense.
In year two, Mitchell played in 16 more games. He deflected 17 passes and racked up 45 more tackles. The NFL named Mitchell a Pro Bowler, and he earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time.
The Eagles have shown a willingness to take care of their homegrown stars on defense early. This offseason, two linemen (Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter) reached extensions. Soon, Mitchell and his fellow cornerback Cooper DeJean will expect a similar discussion.
Gonzalez’s deal will be a good negotiating point for Mitchell. While Mitchell is one season behind Gonzalez, he only played in two fewer games during the regular season.
While the tackling numbers aren’t particularly close (Gonzalez has 145 to Mitchell’s 91), Mitchell has more pass deflections (29-24). As far as interceptions go, Gonzalez has four total (three during the regular season), while all four of Mitchell’s picks occurred in the playoffs.