With just a little over three weeks until the 2026 season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on September 9, the Patriots still have a few contract questions hanging over them.
The biggest one is Christian Gonzalez.
Selected 17th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, the 24-year-old cornerback is extension-eligible for the first time in his career and is in line for a top-of-the-market deal.
Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon reset the cornerback market over the weekend, signing a record-breaking four-year deal worth up to $132 million, including more than $101 million in guaranteed money.
The deal makes Witherspoon the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at $33 million per year, surpassing the $31.1 million annual salary Cleveland’s Denzel Ward received in his two-year extension this offseason.
Gonzalez and Witherspoon were both selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, with Witherspoon going fifth overall, and the two cornerbacks share the same agent, Reginald “Reggie” Johnson of Elite One Sports Management.
Asked Monday whether Witherspoon’s new deal impacts the Gonzalez negotiations, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said he doesn’t believe the two situations are directly tied.
“Everything is pretty unique to itself, and whether that’s negotiations, players or the play that we’re running— certainly those are unique and individual situations, and I think we’ll try to focus on Christian’s, and I know he’ll focus on his own situation,” Vrabel said. “So, we’ll continue to work through that, and he’ll continue to try to improve and try to get back out on the field.”
Gonzalez, who is set to earn a base salary of roughly $2.26 million this season, previously said he wasn’t waiting for Witherspoon, who he’s close with, to sign his own deal before reaching an extension with the Patriots.
On the first day of training camp, Patriots owner Robert Kraft revealed the team had already made Gonzalez an offer that would make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. That number has since changed following Witherspoon’s deal. Kraft also said the extension would be the richest contract in Patriots history.
For now, though, there hasn’t been a deal.
Gonzalez had been a full participant through the first 13 training camp practices but has missed each of the last four.
He appeared to suffer an ankle injury toward the end of practice last Monday and has not been seen since. He missed last Tuesday’s joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts, did not dress for last Thursday’s preseason opener while the rest of the healthy starters did, and was also absent from Saturday’s full-pads practice, Sunday’s walkthrough and Monday’s full-pads practice.
“He’s just in the return-to-play [process],” Vrabel said on Monday.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the Patriots will host joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles. Gonzalez’s status for those practices will be worth monitoring.
The Gonzalez situation is the biggest one, but it’s not the only contract question facing the Patriots.
Kayshon Boutte reportedly requested a trade as far back as April.
He has been a full participant throughout training camp, but the 24-year-old wide receiver is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is set to earn a base salary of $3.674 million this season. With the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, Boutte finds himself behind the two newcomers on the depth chart.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Boutte has continued to earn praise from his coaches for the way he’s handled himself.
“It’s an example I will use for the rest of my coaching career,” wide receivers coach Todd Downing said. “The way that he has just been a pro and has shown up every day. I have a great relationship with Kayshon, and I value that a lot. I’ll keep our conversations private, but I will tell you this: he’s an absolute joy to coach, and I’m really glad he’s in the group.”
Added Vrabel, “I appreciate what he does each and every day. He made a huge play for us yesterday in a two-minute – or the other day. These days just run together, so I apologize. But he made a huge play for us, just like he did last year, multiple times when we called on him. So, he’s ready to go, he’s prepared, and he’s trying to earn a role on his football team.”
Teams must reduce their active rosters to a maximum of 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 30, which is under two weeks away.
With Brown and Doubs joining a group that already includes DeMario “Pop” Douglas, Boutte, Kyle Williams, Mack Hollins and Efton Chism III, there are seven receivers with a legitimate case to make the initial 53-man roster. Teams typically carry only five or six, making the receiver room one of the most intriguing position battles to watch as the roster deadline approaches.
