Devon Witherspoon’s massive four-year, $132 million extension with our Seahawks last month just blew up the cornerback market, and now it looks like it’s causing some serious drama for Christian Gonzalez and the New England Patriots, with our own Jaxon Smith-Njigba possibly impacted in the season opener. Witherspoon’s deal reset everything, and Gonzalez’s camp is making sure everyone knows it.
Gonzalez’s Trainer Calls Patriots’ Deal “Trash”
Earlier this week, Christian Gonzalez’s trainer, Christian White, went public, flat out calling the language in the Patriots’ proposed contract deal “trash.” And what did Gonzalez say when asked on Thursday? He didn’t disagree! “He can speak his mind. He’s got his thoughts, I’ve got mine,” Gonzalez told Karen Guregian of MassLive, “But I back everything he says. He backs everything I say. That’s kind of our relationship. We talk every day. He’s going to say what he’s going to say.” Wow. The Patriots’ owner, Robert Kraft, tried to spin it during training camp, saying, “We love Christian. We love him as a player, as a person. That’s why we’ve made an offer to him that makes him the highest-paid player to ever play that position in the NFL, and coincidentally, it’s the highest contract in Patriots franchise history.” But even with that big talk, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that Gonzalez isn’t planning on negotiating during the regular season, which starts in less than a week. Fowler said, “My understanding of this situation is that if Gonzalez were to sign a market-setting deal , and it will need to be just that , then it has to be buttoned up. And the sides are not close on several elements of the deal.” That’s a huge problem for New England.
Witherspoon’s Market Reset and the JSN Showdown
Let’s be real, Gonzalez is earning this money. He’s entering his fourth season and last year he put up 69 tackles and defended 10 passes, helping the Patriots reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018. He’s a legit star. But the timing couldn’t be worse for New England, thanks in part to our guy, Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon’s deal last month changed the game for corners across the league, paving the way for Gonzalez to demand even more. Now, with the season opener just days away, Gonzalez was noncommittal about sitting out when asked if he’d play against our star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks. “I mean, when that time comes, that’s when things will happen,” he said.
The Seahawks kick off their season against the Patriots, and this contract drama could mean our very own Jaxon Smith-Njigba might not even face one of the league’s top corners. It’s wild to think about what Witherspoon’s monster deal has already set in motion. Will Gonzalez sit? Will the Patriots cave? We’ll be watching to see how this shakes out as our Hawks head into Week 1!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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