Gonzalez is due for a contract extension before his rookie contract ends after this coming season.
If there were a positive takeaway from the New England Patriots' Super Bowl LX loss back in February, it was Christian Gonzalez's performance against Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The 2023 draft pick out of Oregon did what many feel was to play the role of a shutdown corner against one of the best contemporary wide receivers in the game.
Then, not even with the dust settling on the 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the question arose of if the Patriots were going to give Gonzalez an extension.
For the past month, former Patriots defensive backs like Ty Law and Rodney Harrison have spoken out, urging the front office to get the deal done.
Eliot Wolf, Patriots VP of Player Personnel, spoke at the NFL Combine about the team's need for keeping Gonzalez around long-term, showing that the Patriots are well aware of what they have in the building.
“Obviously, we love Christian, and we’ll talk about those things when the time is appropriate. But Christian took a big step forward this year,” Wolf said at the combine. “He took a big step forward with his play style, and we’re excited about having him be a part of our team for the long term.”
It turns out this may have been a quote from Wolf, based on conversations he already had with the Gonzalezes' reps.
According to Fox Sports' Henry McKenna, the Patriots and Gonzalez had already had preliminary conversations about a contract extension last month at the NFL Combine.
Gonzalez became eligible for a contract extension earlier this year. One would think the Patriots want to get this done before the season starts, as his rookie contract expires in 2027.
Gonzalez has now played in 38 regular-season and postseason games after going 17th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Even in the dark days for the team in the earlier stages of his career, Gonzalez perfected his craft on the field, proving that maybe Bill Belichick had at least one more decent draft left in him before "mutually parting ways" with the team.
The Patriots still have the fifth-year option available. If exercised, it would guarantee Gonzalez $18.119 million. This option must be decided by May 1st.
Many do feel the Patriots need to get this deal done now on their star cornerback. Because next season, it's their star quarterback, Drake Maye, whom the team will have to consider extending.
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