The Patriots always had a lockdown corner on their Super Bowl-winning teams. Extending Gonzalex could be a step back in that direction.
As the only player for the New England Patriots to ever wear the number zero, Christian Gonzalez is indeed one of a kind, which is why the Patriots will look to give him a solid extension to stick around longer this offseason.
Despite a dismal 29-13 loss in the Super Bowl, Gonzalez played lights-out football in the secondary for most of that game. His matchup with Offensive Player of the Year, Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, was solid, making Sam Darnold's key offensive weapon almost a non-factor.
Too bad, Darnold had other options in that game.
Gonzalez now enters the final year of his contract and is eligible for an extension. The Patriots must decide on his 2027 fifth-year option before May 1st.
The Patriots have not had a cornerback of this caliber in quite some time. The franchise for nearly three decades had prided itself on memorable defensive backs, one of whom is Rodney Harrison. The free safety won two Super Bowls with New England and commented on the potential extension for Gonzalez this week with MassLive.
“I’m paying him. I’m not letting a young guy like that go,” Harrison said, via MassLive's Karen Guregian. “The only thing I’ve said about him, personally, is sometimes he loses focus a little bit when he’s going against lesser talent, but the kid can play. And if you want that level, if you want a shutdown corner or a corner that can match up with No. 1, that’s what it’s going to cost you, especially with him coming off this season."
Harrison also spoke about what is coming down the road for the Patriots, including when they will need to pay Drake Maye after his rookie contract. Thus signifying that if you're going to pay Gonzalez, now is the time to do it.
“If you’re going to sign him, this is the time to sign him. You still got Drake (Maye) for another few years before you have to pay him," Harrison said.
Despite falling short in the Super Bowl this time around, every championship-winning team the Patriots have had all had shutdown corners (Ty Law, Darelle Revis, and Stephen Gilmore).
If the Patriots want to take another shot at hoisting a Vince Lombardi trophy down the road at some point, paying Gonzalez could be the first step to doing so.