Robert Kraft: We’ve offered to make Christian Gonzalez the top-paid cornerback - NBC Sports

What the report says

NBCSports.com’s Pro Football Talk reported that New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez remains at training camp while contract extension discussions continue, and team owner Robert Kraft publicly outlined the scale of the club’s offer on Saturday. According to the report, Kraft said New England has proposed a deal that would make Gonzalez the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL and also the largest contract in Patriots franchise history.

The report, citing ESPN’s Mike Reiss for Kraft’s comments, said the Patriots owner praised Gonzalez’s value to the organization and indicated the team wants him in New England long term. Gonzalez was drafted by the Patriots and has developed into a central part of their defense, making his contract status a major storyline as the team opens camp.

NBCSports.com noted that the current top of the cornerback market was set this offseason by Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie, who signed a four-year, $124 million contract. The article also pointed to a recent report that Gonzalez’s talks may be linked indirectly to negotiations involving Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, because the two players share an agent and Witherspoon is also seeking a market-leading agreement.

The situation matters because a Gonzalez extension could reset the financial benchmark for NFL cornerbacks and establish a new high-water mark for Patriots spending on a player contract. For now, the public position from Kraft suggests New England has made a significant offer, but NBCSports.com did not report that an agreement has been finalized.