Patriots owner Robert Kraft says team has offered CB Christian Gonzalez 'the highest contract' in franchise history - Yahoo Sports

What the report says

Yahoo Sports reported that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said Saturday at training camp that the team has made a major contract offer to cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Citing ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the report said Kraft described the proposal as one that would make Gonzalez the NFL’s highest-paid player at his position and, at the same time, the largest contract in Patriots franchise history.

Gonzalez, a Pro Bowl cornerback, is still under his rookie contract after New England exercised his fifth-year option in April. Yahoo Sports said he is due $2.3 million in 2026 and $18.1 million in 2027. The article noted that Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie currently sets the market at the position with a four-year, $124 million deal, or $31 million per year, and that the Patriots’ biggest prior contract was defensive tackle Milton Williams’ four-year, $104 million agreement.

Based on those benchmarks, Yahoo Sports said Kraft’s comments indicate New England has offered Gonzalez a deal worth at least $31 million annually and large enough to top the club’s previous record. The report also noted that public discussion of an offer can signal that an agreement has not yet been completed.

Gonzalez was drafted 17th overall out of Oregon in 2023 and has developed into one of New England’s key defensive players. Yahoo Sports reported that he was part of a Patriots defense that ranked fourth in points allowed last season, while Pro Football Focus ranked him 13th among NFL cornerbacks.