Cornerback Christian Gonzalez is participating in Patriots training camp while ongoing discussions continue regarding a potential contract extension.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft recently confirmed that the franchise has extended an offer to Gonzalez that would establish new benchmarks for both NFL cornerback contracts and agreements within the Patriots organization.
“We love Christian Gonzalez. We love him as a player, as a person, and that’s why we’ve made an offer to him to make him the highest-paid player to ever play that position in the NFL,” Kraft stated, speaking to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. “And coincidentally, it is the highest contract in Patriots franchise history. So we’re glad we drafted him, he’s developed here, and we hope he’ll be with us for a long time.”
Trent McDuffie of the Rams set a precedent earlier this offseason with a four-year, $124 million contract, raising expectations for top-tier cornerback deals.
Reportedly, complications in Gonzalez’s negotiations stem from the Seattle Seahawks’ parallel discussions with cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who shares representation with Gonzalez. With Witherspoon nearing an agreement that could position him at the top of the market, the Patriots and Gonzalez remain engaged in pursuit of a resolution.