ESPN moved New England Patriots star Christian Gonzalez up 28 spots in its NFL top 100 ranking.
New England Patriots star Christian Gonzalez made ESPN's top 100 players list again.
He also went up 28 spots.
In 2025, Gonzalez was ranked No. 63. This year, he's at No. 35.
Gonzalez played one of the best games of his three-year NFL career in the Patriots' 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. He was credited with three passes defended while totaling four tackles.
Selected with the No. 17 pick in the 2023 draft, Gonzalez was named to the Associated Press All-Pro second team in 2024. Last season, Gonzalez was voted to the Pro Bowl after putting up 10 passes defended, 54 solo tackles and one tackle for loss.
According to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Gonzalez didn't "love" owner Robert Kraft's public remark on contract talks between the organization and Gonzalez's reps.
On July 25, Kraft said the Patriots offered Gonzalez a contract that would have made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL and the highest-paid player in team history.
"With the Patriots and Gonzalez, not as much optimism, hasn't been as smooth as a negotiation," Fowler said, via Bleacher Report. "Robert Kraft, the owner, had said publicly, 'Hey, we offered him to make him the highest-paid corner in the league; he didn't take it.' I don't sense Gonzalez loved that all that much. So, there's been some back and forth. At least the Witherspoon deal creates some urgency where they can now get this done; they have a benchmark to top."
Gonzalez's contract situation with the Patriots is in the spotlight after the Seahawks made Devon Witherspoon the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history with a four-year, $132 million deal.
The Patriots face the Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos this season.
To make another Super Bowl run, the Patriots need a happy and focused Gonzalez and that can only happen if an extension is reached.
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf told reporters on Tuesday (8/25) that Gonzalez is a priority for the team.
However, we still don't have a deal.
"We want him here. He's an elite player," Wolf said. "I've been on record saying that before, and we're continuing to work with his representation to find a resolution that works for everyone."
The Patriots must be careful here. If they don't pay Gonzalez, we might see a trade request.
