Patriots are playing too dangerous of a game with Christian Gonzalez's future

Christian Gonzalez has established himself as one of the NFL's premier cornerbacks in just three years and wants to be paid at an elite level - understandably so. Unfortunately for him and the New England Patriots, an extension hasn't been agreed upon. While there isn't reason to panic yet on the surface, Gonzalez's recent Instagram story suggests talks might not be going particularly well.

Gonzalez's story could mean anything, but it feels like the lyrics he chose mean something obvious. He means an extension should've been done by now. Whether you agree with him choosing to vent his frustrations on social media or not, it's hard to argue with the message. Yes, the Patriots should've paid him by now.

Patriots delaying Christian Gonzalez's extension only hurts them

What makes this particularly interesting is that Gonzalez's eagerness for an extension right now is favorable for the Patriots. With him not set to hit free agency for a couple of years, Gonzalez could presumably wait another year or even two, when cornerbacks inevitably continue to reset the market and earn more money than he'd get right now in an extension. Gonzalez understandably wants the security, though, and it'd behoove the Patriots to oblige by meeting his demands.

The way NFL contracts work for star players is abundantly clear at this point. One star player sets the market, and then the next man up at that position winds up earning a bit more. Gonzalez is going to reset the cornerback market, whether the Patriots like it or not. The sooner they pay him, the cheaper his contract will be, as other corners (including Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks) look for new deals of their own.

Delaying the inevitable not only risks alienating one of their franchise players, but it will undoubtedly cost the Patriots more money, too.

Patriots might've gotten a glimpse of what delaying Christian Gonzalez's extension could mean

Despite the talks not going anywhere, Gonzalez has been active for the vast majority of practices thus far and has made a serious impact. With that being said, the 24-year-old did not appear in Tuesday's joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts, whom the Pats play on Thursday, and it's unclear as to why.

The reason could be injury-related, as Gonzalez reportedly ended Monday's practice shaken up, but it also could be contract-related, which could make sense given the Instagram story. Regardless of the reasoning, Gonzalez missing practice is not a good thing.

Nothing suggests that Gonzalez is going to hold out during the preseason or regular season, but the Patriots risk this happening by delaying his extension. The team is entering the 2026 season with as good of vibes as any team in the NFL. They made an unlikely run to the Super Bowl in 2025 and added A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs and Dre'Mont Jones, among others. They're poised to compete in 2026 and in the future around Drake Maye, but if Christian Gonzalez is frustrated, are we sure this is a Super Bowl-caliber team? If Gonzalez isn't part of the long-term future, are we sure this team is built to be annual Super Bowl contenders? The last thing this team needs is its young superstar holding out, or even considering such an action.

Gonzalez is not only the best defensive player on the Patriots, but he's also one of the best defensive players in the NFL. It behooves the Patriots to get this done before risking things completely unraveling.

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