Patriots get bad news on Christian Gonzalez contract extension talks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots and superstar cornerback Christian Gonzalez are in the middle of contract extension talks, which would likely have to make him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
But after Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks signed a massive $132 million, four-year contract, things have hit an impasse between Gonzalez and the Patriots.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the latest update is a bit concerning, as the two sides are still far apart on a deal, and there are reportedly multiple elements of an extension that they are not close to agreeing upon.
Patriots get worrying Christian Gonzalez contract extension update
"My understanding of this situation is that if Gonzalez were to sign a market-setting deal -- and it will need to be just that -- then it has to be buttoned up. And the sides are not close on several elements of the deal."
Gonzalez might've been the best player on the field for the Patriots in their Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks last season, and an extension makes a lot of sense. Good cornerbacks are not easy to come by.
But spending so much money on Gonzalez, which would need to break the $132 million mark set by Witherspoon this offseason, is something the Patriots seemingly aren't too inclined to do.
That could be the case, or Gonzalez could be asking for a significant raise from Witherspoon's figure, further complicating a deal.
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The 24-year-old superstar is worth a massive new deal, but the Patriots might be saving some of their money to spend on Drake Maye when he'll need an extension, which could be agreed to as early as next offseason.
Gonzalez should be a core player the Patriots lock up, and there is mutual interest in a deal. The issue is, however, that the two sides are still far apart on an extension.
There is some real fear that a deal won't be agreed upon, which would be a massive mistake for the Patriots. Unfortunately, the Gonzalez contract situation is one to closely monitor, as the Patriots might be forced into a corner with what to do with him long-term.
It might be too soon to totally panic, but Patriots fans should be a little bit worried about how these extension talks have gone thus far.
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