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07/25 10:47 CDT Christian Gonzalez has been offered highest contract in team
history, Patriots owner Kraft says
Christian Gonzalez has been offered highest contract in team history, Patriots
owner Kraft says
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) --- The New England Patriots are showing cornerback
Christian Gonzalez how much he's valued.
Team owner Robert Kraft said Saturday that the star cornerback has been offered
the highest contract in Patriots history.
"We love Christian Gonzalez. We love him as a player, as a person. That's why
we've made an offer to him that makes him the highest-paid player ever to play
that position in the NFL," Kraft said before the team's opening training camp
practice. "Coincidentally, it's the highest contract in Patriots franchise
history."
Kraft didn't provide details on the offer. But Los Angeles Rams cornerback
Trent McDuffie's four-year contract currently tops NFL cornerbacks with an
average yearly value of approximately $31 million.
The Patriots picked up Gonzalez's fifth-year option in April, meaning he will
make just over $18 million in the final year of his rookie deal in 2027. But he
entered the offseason seeking long-term security beyond that.
He apparently will soon have it with this extension offer.
For his part, Gonzalez has been confident that something would be worked out
with the club, while remaining a presence around the team.
After skipping voluntary offseason workouts last month, Gonzalez was present
for New England's three-day mandatory minicamp. He was back on the field for
Saturday's first training camp workout.
Gonzalez is easily the team's most important player in the secondary, earning
his first Pro Bowl selection last season after posting 69 tackles, 10 pass
breakups and one tackle for a loss in 2025.
Fellow cornerback Marcus Jones said Friday that though he hadn't discussed
details of the situation with Gonzalez, he was confident Gonzalez wants to
remain in New England.
"Gonzo loves it here," Jones said. "I know that for a fact."
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