Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez isn’t committing to playing in the season opener, and with that first game just four days away, this situation is getting spicy. He’s still waiting on a contract extension, and it sounds like he isn’t about to hit the field without one. Talk about some serious leverage, huh?
“I Don’t Know” If Contract Talks Are Even Moving
Gonzalez is playing it super cool, sticking to a “day-to-day approach” on his availability. When asked about his contract talks, his answer was a blunt “I don’t know,” which pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the progress being made. The dude’s clearly focused, telling reporters, “I’m focused on today. Right now, it is practice in what, a couple, 30 minutes, 40 minutes. Worried on that right now, so we’ll focus on that.” You can practically feel his frustration through the quote when he says he’s “still frustrated” that a deal isn’t done.
The Seahawks Set the Standard, Now What?
Here’s where it gets interesting, especially for us here in the Emerald City. The Seahawks recently inked cornerback Devon Witherspoon to a monster four-year, $132 million deal. That deal is exactly the kind of template Gonzalez and his agent, Reggie Johnson, are probably looking at. Fun fact: Gonzalez and Witherspoon share the same agent, Reggie Johnson. That means the Patriots know exactly what the market is. Gonzalez, the 17th overall pick in 2023, has shown he’s worth it, too. He’s made second-team All-Pro in 2024 and even hit the Pro Bowl in 2025. Over three seasons, he’s stacked up 145 tackles, two interceptions, 24 pass breakups, and a sack. He’s clearly a cornerstone player. He’s currently under contract for the next two seasons and is set to make a base salary of $2.259 million this season. That’s a steal for a Pro Bowler, and you know his camp sees that $132 million deal for Witherspoon as the absolute floor.
The opener is just days away. Will the Patriots get this deal done, or are they really going to let a talent like Gonzalez sit out? It’s crunch time, and everyone’s watching to see if they cough up the cash to get their star corner on the field.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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