Star cornerback Christian Gonzalez is flat-out frustrated. With Week 1 rapidly approaching for the Patriots, he’s still without a contract extension, and Gonzalez himself admitted this week that he’s not happy with how things are going. “I mean, it’s frustrating, but I mean, I’m focused on the season,” Gonzalez said Tuesday. “I’m focused on here now and doing what I got to do, and I’m out here to compete and get better.”
Vrabel Understands, But No Deal Yet
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addressed Gonzalez’s comments, stating he had no reaction to the frustration itself, but he gets where his player is coming from. After the preseason finale loss to the Browns, Vrabel said, “I have conversations with Christian, and I understand that this is probably something that’s difficult. I’ve never been in that position to this extent. Try to treat it with class, but he and I communicate, and our players are always free to feel how they feel. They just have to stay patient and just hope that we can work toward some kind of agreement.”
Devon Witherspoon Set the Benchmark, And It’s Getting Real
Here’s where it gets wild: Gonzalez wants to be the highest-paid corner in the league. But ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped a bombshell update on Thursday, detailing how the Patriots haven’t even offered him a deal that touches the massive $33 million annually the Emerald City is shelling out for our own corner Devon Witherspoon. Schefter laid it out on The Pat McAfee Show: “But Witherspoon has established the benchmark, and the Patriots haven’t gone there, and they weren’t there before, and they don’t appear to be going there right now, and they’re off on the two sides of money.” Schefter added that “the Patriots and Gonzalez haven’t been close… they’re obviously not in the same neighborhood right now and haven’t been. Thus, his disappointment.” This isn’t just a tough talk, it’s a real disconnect. With Week 1 on the horizon, this contract standoff means Gonzalez’s frustration isn’t just talk, it’s the real deal and it’s making waves across the league.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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