Grading the deal: New England Patriots wait until the last second to lock down Christian Gonzalez with a historic NFL contract
The New England Patriots have finally agreed to a contract extension with star cornerback Christian Gonzalez. But was it a smart move? We grade the deal from both points of view following the historic extension.
Nothing like waiting until the absolute last minute, but the New England Patriots have finally given long-term security to star cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
The Patriots waited until the wee hours of Tuesday morning to sign Gonzalez to a contract extension, and this was a long time coming. The New England cornerback has established himself as one of the best perimeter corners in the NFL since entering the league. The deal pays him just under $34 million per year, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, as first reported by Jordan Schultz.
Key Takeaways from Christian Gonzalez’s contract extension
- 4 year extension
- $135 million in total value
- $102 million guaranteed
- $33.75 million new money average (highest in the NFL)
Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon share the same agent
One element that makes this whole situation entertaining is the connection between Gonzalez and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon. The two share the same agent and were members of the same draft class. Witherspoon went before Gonzalez on draft night because there were concerns about Gonzalez’s physicality, whether he would hold up in the NFL, and how well his game would translate at the next level.
It became clear from the first time Gonzalez stepped foot on a football field that he was going to be a star. In fact, the loss in that Super Bowl to the Seahawks showed how well the New England defense played. More specifically, Gonzalez’s performance defending a reigning Offensive Player of the Year and borderline MVP candidate in Jaxon Smith-Njigba stood out as one of the signature moments of the game.
Why Christian Gonzalez is a prototype corner
Gonzalez is a prototype at the cornerback position. He’s big, long, fluid, and extremely springy. He has long speed, can collapse on underneath routes, and can do just about anything a team could ask for on a football field. He has also overcome the physicality concerns that followed him into the draft process. Would he come up and tackle? Would he be able to take on running backs one-on-one? He’s answered every question.
Gonzalez was there throughout OTAs and camp. He practiced, showed up for the Patriots, and at the final hour they got a deal done.
Grading the Christian Gonzalez deal
If I’m grading this contract, I’m giving it an A. The only reason I wouldn’t give it an A+ is because it took until the very last minute, given that the Patriots will be on the football field in about 24 hours. The truth is, this was a deal that should have been wrapped up well before the eve of the regular season.
But all in all, its good job by New England, a great job by the representation of Christian Gonzalez, and way to get a deal done even if it comes in the absolute witching hour, an A all around.
