The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have a similar problem. Pittsburgh cornerback Joey Porter Jr. wants to be the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. As great as JPJ has been the last season-plus with the Steelers, his sample size is still a bit small to commit to that kind of money.
The same can be said of Christian Gonzalez, who didn't rule out missing Week 1 if he's unable to agree to a contract with the Patriots. Unlike Porter Jr., Gonzalez is universally considered a top-5 corner in football, per an ESPN article earlier this summer which polled executives and scouts. If the Steelers are going to fork over that kind of money — which would be more than the four-year, $132 million given to Devon Witherspoon — they'd rather not take any chances.
What a Steelers-Patriots trade for Christian Gonzalez would look like
This will not be a 1-for-1 player trade. No, if the Steelers want to acquire Gonzalez, who by most accounts has better hands that Porter Jr. and thus more big-play ability for a defense that thrives on turnovers, they will have to add in some picks. Yet, dealing Porter Jr., who would slide right into Gonzalez's spot and likely receive a new deal upon arrival (but for less than Gonzalez) does help their case.
Would the Steelers make this trade?
Omar Khan seems hesitant to pay Porter Jr. what he's asking for. Khan comes from the NFL's salary cap school, so the holdup in Porter Jr.'s deal very well could be the guaranteed money, or incentives. We are not privvy to those talks. But what started as a sure thing this offseason — that JPJ would eventually receive top-5 cornerback money — is now far from it. Porter Jr. hasn't committed to playing Week 1, either, and reportedly wants to be the highest-paid corner in the NFL. The Steelers aren't going that far.
With Gonzalez, they can at least justify a $135 million deal (for example). Gonzalez is essentially the same age as Porter Jr., but has an All-Pro selection and a couple Pro Bowls under his belt. He has the accolades that Porter Jr. needs to convince the Steelers he's worth the money. The added fourth-round pick is just the cost of doing business.
Verdict: Yes
Would the Patriots make this trade?
Gonzalez hasn't committed to playing Week 1 for the Patriots. While he's at camp for now, Gonzalez wants his money, and there's no guarantee New England will give it to him. The holdup is confusing to say the least, as Gonzalez has been everything the Patriots have asked for and then some.
"He shut everything down when we played him," an NFL offensive coach told ESPN in July. "We couldn't squeeze a drop. He was the main reason why. Size, ball skills, can play press or man, he's got it all."
Gonzalez's dominance carried over to the postseason, where he allowed just a 38% completion percentage against, easily the best for any corner in the playoffs and the top mark since 2018. While the Patriots wish he were more physical given his 6-1 frame, he could thrive in Pittsburgh opposite Jamel Dean.
Verdict: If he's serious about sitting out, then yes
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