Patriots Still Aiming For Christian Gonzalez Extension

That remains the case at this time, and as such it is unclear if an agreement will be in place before Week 1. Efforts to finalize an extension are still ongoing, though. Patriots player personnel VP Eliot Wolf confirmed as much in an interview during the broadcast of today’s preseason game against the Eagles.

“Each side is trying to do what’s right for them,” Wolf said (via MassLive’s Karen Guregian). “Obviously, Christian’s a tremendous player that you know we’ve been on record multiple times saying we want him to be here, and that hasn’t changed. So we’re going to continue working with his representation to try to get something done.”

Witherspoon and Gonzalez – who share an agent – have long been seen as the top candidates to continue moving the cornerback market. Trent McDuffie landed $31MM per season with his Rams extension upon arrival via trade this spring, but that figure was surpassed by Witherspoon’s Seattle pact ($33MM in average annual value). A report from earlier this month indicated Gonzalez’s goal is to out-earn Witherspoon by a considerable margin, something which likely still holds true with the latter’s deal now officially in place.

Both sides have expressed a desire for working out a big-money extension in this case, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft said at the onset of training camp an offer making Gonzalez the league’s top cornerback earner had been submitted. The bar has since moved on that front, and it will be interesting to see if team and player can manage to make progress over the next few weeks. Gonzalez has missed recent practices through injury after previously participating in camp. The Pro Bowler’s Week 1 status is not believed to be in doubt, although his long-term financial outlook is less clear.

Gonzalez, 24, had his fifth-year option exercised this spring. He is under team control through the 2027 season as a result, meaning a lack of progress during contract talks would still leave plenty of time for a deal to eventually be struck. If all goes according to plan from New England’s perspective in the immediacy, however, Gonzalez will be on the books for the foreseeable future.