Not much is certain at the cornerback position for the New England Patriots heading into training camp, but Christian Gonzalez should give the team a notable contributor in both the short- and long-term future. The first-round rookie is in line for a signficant role right away and it will likely include playing on the boundary.
Gonzalez was widely viewed as one of the top two corners in this year’s class, along with No. 5 pick Devon Witherspoon. The Washington Commanders’ preference at the position was Emmanuel Forbes, who was selected one spot before the Patriots added Gonzalez with their own first-rouder. The latter enters the NFL with significant expectations following his lone season spent at Oregon in 2022.
Gonzalez recorded four interceptions and seven pass deflections with the Ducks last fall, making him a first-round lock and an obvious target for a New England outfit looking to add further to their secondary. The Patriots ranked third in the NFL with 19 interceptions last season, but only 16th in terms of passing yards allowed. Gonzalez could help in both departments with a strong rookie season, one for which he appears to have earned a starting spot.
“We’ll work him into a number of positions like we do almost all players at this point in time in the spring, and then narrow it down a little bit when we get to training camp,” head coach Bill Belichick said during an interview with Mike Tannenbaum of the 33rd Team (video link).
“Ultimately, he’s most likely going to be a perimeter corner, but I think there are other situations where he could play inside or in a deeper part of the field, depending on what the call is or how things present themselves from a game-plan structure from time to time.”
That comes as little surprise, considering Gonzalez’s skill-set and size (6-foot-2, 201 pounds), as well as the uncertainty surrounding Jack Jones‘ future with the team. League or team discipline handed down to the latter would leave the Patriots short on perimeter options, in particular, something which would add further to Gonzalez’s value in 2023. He will face a large workload as a rookie and likely play in a variety of alignments, making him a crucial member of the team’s secondary from the outset.
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