The New England Patriots have been without defensive back Christian Gonzalez in OTAs. This comes as one of the NFL’s best corners is looking to get a long-term extension to make him one of the highest paid players in the sport.
That kind of holdout can be tough. However, when asked about Gonzalez, fellow corner and team captain Marcus Jones made one thing very clear. The Patriots are supporting their star.
“We support him and the organization… I’ve been in the situation of learning how contract negotiations goes. At the end of the day they want what’s best for them and he wants what’s best for him,” Jones said, per Mark Daniels.
The Patriots picked up Gonzalez’s fifth-year option, which keeps him under contract for the next two seasons. However, at around $4.8 million in 2026 and $18.1 million in 2027, he’s severely underpaid for what he’s providing the Patriots.
It’s not a situation that Jones is unfamiliar with. He had to negotiate a second contract with the Patriots just a year ago himself. Ultimately, he’d end up with a three-year, $34.98 million deal.
As a pair, Jones and Gonzalez proved to be a key piece of the puzzle in 2025. That’s expected to be the case again in 2026, making it even more important to find a way to make a deal with Gonzalez sooner rather than later.
Christian Gonzalez Played in Drake Maye’s Charity Softball Game
GettyNew England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez
Christian Gonzalez has been away from the New England Patriots for team activities, specifically OTAs. That doesn’t mean he’s entirely been away from the team, though.
On Sunday, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye hosted a charity softball game, featuring players and coaches, not to mention other figures from Boston sports, like Zdeno Chara. It was to support Boston Children’s Hospital and Maye himself would personally donate $80,000. Among those in attendance was Christian Gonzalez.
Gonzalez played on a team that featured himself, as well as Marcus Jones. It was actually at the softball game when Jones made it clear that the team has his back.
It’s a good sign for the Patriots. He’s not at OTAs, but he’s still involved with the team. That involvement should keep him a part of the team and stop there from being the chance anyone develops hard feelings about his contract situation.
The Expectation is Gonzalez Gets a Massive Payday from the Patriots
GettyNew England Patriots DB Christian Gonzalez
Christian Gonzalez looking for a new contract is one of the biggest stories of the offseason for the Patriots. So, it’s no surprise that head coach Mike Vrabel was recently asked about his absence.
“Again, those are personal choices for players. I would say that I value the communication that I’ve had personally. I know that our defensive coaches have had conversations with Christian. Again, I wish that they were all here so that we can coach them. But the ones that are here, that’s where our focus will be, and we’ll pour everything that we have into those players,” Vrabel said.
“I know that his professionalism and being ready to go, or whatever personal choice some guys have during the spring, I’m confident that they’ll all be ready.”
For Gonzalez, it only makes sense to step away and look for that new contract. He’s currently expected to completely reset the cornerback market. That’s no small feat to do, either. Earlier in the 2026 offseason, Trent McDuffie of the Los Angeles Rams set the cornerback market at four years and $124 million.
Insider Albert Breer came up with what he thinks is a fair deal for Gonzalez. It’s a four-year, $140 million deal. That’s about $35 million annually. Again, he’s set to make about $4.8 million in 2026. So, he’s looking at a major pay increase with this new contract.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Patriots Captain Marcus Jones Gives Thoughts on Christian Gonzalez Missing OTAs appeared first on HEAVY.