The New England Patriots held a joint practice on Tuesday with the Indianapolis Colts, preparing for a preseason game on Thursday. Notably not in attendance was Christian Gonzalez.
This was the first time that Gonzalez missed time all Training Camp. That made the timing of his absence curious to some onlookers, as it seems like the exact time to be on the field, if at all possible.
New England Patriots Cautioned About Christian Gonzalez’s Absence
GettyNew England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez
There are a few obvious reasons why Christian Gonzalez wouldn’t be at practice. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe knows this full well. He also believes that all options are very bad for the New England Patriots.
The first is an injury. Gonzalez is the player who the Patriots couldn’t live without on defense, making this an obvious issue.
“One is that Gonzalez is injured and couldn’t practice,” Volin wrote. “He ended Monday’s practice awkwardly, coming up gingerly after getting entangled with wide receiver Romeo Doubs. The last thing the Patriots need is a redux of last year, when Gonzalez missed most of training camp and the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury that lingered far longer than the team anticipated.”
There’s also the possibility it’s not a serious injury. In that case, missing practice was an act of caution.
“It’s not a big deal for Gonzalez to miss one practice, but this scenario shows the fragility of Gonzalez’s health and how the Patriots will have to meticulously manage his bumps and bruises,” Volin wrote.
The third option is perhaps the most intriguing. That’s the idea that Gonzalez chose to sit out as he looks for a new contract. In that scenario, his contract is becoming a distraction, and he’s missing practice to avoid the risk of an injury.
“This scenario is the risk that the Patriots are taking by letting Gonzalez’s negotiation drag out. The longer it lasts, the more of a distraction it becomes. Gonzalez, Vrabel, and the players will continue to be asked about it, which no one wants. Gonzalez may decide to take more days off to send a message. And the uncertainty and pressure could affect his performance,” Volin added.
“No fan or neutral observer should blame Gonzalez if he made a business decision on Tuesday.”
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t address Gonzalez’s absence. So, for now, it’s still guesswork why he wasn’t there.
The Patriots and Gonzalez Hope to Have a Deal Soon
GettyNew England Patriots DB Christian Gonzalez
The talks to get Christian Gonzalez a contract extension with the Patriots have been going on all offseason. It’s expected to be a market-setting deal. Still, that hasn’t happened yet.
However, it’s been reported that contract negotiations have hit a holding pattern between the two sides. Gonzalez appears to be waiting for Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks to sign his extension, so that he can build upon that. So, it’s going to be hard to get a deal done sooner than that.
Because of that, NFL insider Ian Rapoport recently issued his own warning to the Patriots. Negotiations with Gonzalez could even go into next offseason.
“Gonzalez’s (contract talks) don’t seem to me like they have advanced that far,” Rapoport said on Inside Training Camp. “The hope is at some point to get a new deal, but as of right now, it’s unclear whether or not that will actually happen. Wouldn’t be surprised, for instance, if he ended up waiting till next year. Either way, when he gets paid, he’s going to be very, very rich. It’s just a matter of when it actually happens.”
Both sides would, obviously, love to get a long-term extension done before that. However, if that’s what it takes for Gonzalez to get paid, he’ll likely be willing to bet on himself.
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