Getty

FOXBOROUGH, MA - Christian Gonzalez #0 of the New England Patriots showed up at Drake Maye's charity softball game Sunday.

Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has been absent from voluntary OTAs as contract extension negotiations continue, but the All-Pro defender showed up Sunday at Drake Maye’s charity softball game in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The appearance comes as speculation grows around Gonzalez’s next contract, with reports suggesting he could be seeking a deal that would reset the cornerback market and make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid defenders.

It marked the first time in his three-year NFL career that Gonzalez sat out any portion of New England’s voluntary offseason program. NBC Sports Boston reporter Phil Perry confirmed Sunday that Gonzalez had not been at OTAs recently. But Perry spotted him warming up at Polar Park alongside rookie lineman Will Campbell. According to ESPN‘s Mike Reiss, Gonzalez was absent from Wednesday’s media-open OTA session as well.

Gonzalez Contract Talks Stall as Patriots OTAs Continue

The working assumption, according to MassLive.com Patriots insider Karen Guregian, is that Gonzalez is seeking at least $35 million per year. The current market high belongs to Kansas City’s Trent McDuffie at $31 million annually. Getting past that number, and by how much, is the unresolved question.

“As one of the game’s premier cornerbacks, he’s looking to be paid,” Guregian wrote. “The assumption is $35 million at the very least.”

New England exercised Gonzalez’s fifth-year option earlier this offseason, keeping him under contract through 2027. That gives the Patriots leverage. But Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reported Sunday that an extension before Week 1 remains the likely outcome, partly because the organization faces an even more consequential negotiation in 2027 with quarterback Drake Maye.

The team recently restructured offensive lineman Mike Onwenu’s contract to open cap room for both a potential Gonzalez extension and a possible trade for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Gonzalez Has Emerged as One of New England’s Elite Players

New England selected Gonzalez 17th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, using a pick that originally belonged to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the final first-round pick made by former head coach Bill Belichick, who was fired after the Patriots finished 4-13 that season.

Gonzalez’s rookie year ended almost as soon as it started. A dislocated shoulder and torn labrum limited him to four games. He came back healthy in 2024, earning second-team All-Pro honors and solidifying his standing as one of the top young corners in the game.

A hamstring injury cost him New England’s first three contests in 2025, but he recovered to earn his first Pro Bowl selection. Pro Football Focus graded him 75.0 overall — 14th among 112 qualified cornerbacks — and he stood out in the Patriots’ Super Bowl LX loss, making timely stops while surrendering just one catch.

Gonzalez shares the same representation as Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a fellow 2023 first-round pick also seeking an extension. According to Pro Football Rumors, neither client wants to be the first to sign. Whoever holds out longer figures to land the richer deal. Seattle and Witherspoon are reportedly not close to an agreement, a dynamic that cuts both ways in Gonzalez’s negotiation.

In February, Gonzalez expressed a desire to remain in Foxborough long-term. Whether the two sides can attach a number to that before training camp remains to be seen.