The Patriots have put a massive number on the table for Christian Gonzalez, but the two sides still haven’t found the finish line.
New England has reportedly offered the cornerback a deal that would make him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history and the highest-paid player in franchise history. Even with that kind of money in play, the contract talks remain unresolved, and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said there are plenty of reasons these negotiations can drag on.
“So I'm sure Christian Gonzalez probably feels as though, 'Hey, look, there's already been precedent. There's plenty of comparables.
I'm 24 years old. I'm entering the prime of my career.
I think I know what I am worth on an APY basis.' Obviously, there are always other things that can be sticking points, like fully guaranteed money?"
Riddick said.
“There's a lot of different things that can hold this kind of thing up. An APY average per year isn't always the be-all and end-all when it comes to contracts. But yeah, he knows exactly where he wants to slot in.”
Riddick also pointed to the growing market at cornerback, with recent mega deals such as Devon Witherspoon’s $33 million per year helping set the tone for what top players at the position are chasing. That’s part of the backdrop here, with elite corners pushing into the $30 million to $33 million annual range.
Gonzalez, who returned to practice this week after missing two weeks with a minor injury, addressed the situation directly on Tuesday. The frustration is there, but he made it clear his attention is on the field.
"It's frustrating, but I'm focused on the season," Gonzalez said. "I'm focused on here now.
I'm focused on Week 1 at this point. I mean, it's been all offseason, so I feel like the line of today is, 'It is what it is.'
There's certain things that go into a contract, but my team knows what we want."
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said earlier this week that the sides are still trying to land on something that works for everyone.
Gonzalez is already under contract through 2027 after New England picked up his fifth-year option. His base salary is set at $2.259 million in 2026 before jumping to $18.11 million in 2027.
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