Christian Gonzalez, a cornerback for the New England Patriots, is entering the final preseason without a long-term contract extension. He returned to practice on Wednesday after being sidelined due to a minor injury, as described by coach Mike Vrabel, although there were speculations linking the injury to his contract negotiations. "I’m not going to get into that," Gonzalez stated. "I’m out here now. So it is what it is."
Gonzalez is in the fourth year of a $15 million rookie contract, with the Patriots having opted for a fifth year. As the team prepares for their third preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, Gonzalez expressed some dissatisfaction with the ongoing situation, saying, "It’s frustrating. But I’m focused on the season. I’m focused on here now and doing what I have to do. I’m out here to compete and get better."
In July, Patriots owner Robert Kraft mentioned that he had offered Gonzalez the highest contract in the franchise's history, which would surpass defensive lineman Milton Williams’ four-year, $104 million deal. Among cornerbacks, Devon Witherspoon’s four-year, $132 million extension with Seattle is currently the highest.
The Patriots recognize Gonzalez's contributions, as he recorded a league-low completion rate of 43.4% when targeted last season, according to Pro Football Focus. New England's VP of player personnel, Elit Wolf, stated, "We want him here. He’s an elite player. Been on record saying that before and we continue to work with his representation to find a resolution that works for everyone. We’re just taking it a day at a time right now. We haven’t [set] a deadline."
Gonzalez did not indicate if he has a deadline for the negotiations, nor did he rule out the possibility of missing the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. "I’m focused on today, on this practice," he said. "And we’ll see where we go from here."