Alert in Foxborough: Gonzalez’s Surtain Skill Set Signals Looming Pay‑Day Pressure!

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez established himself as one of the NFL's best players at his position in just his second season, earning a Second-Team All-Pro selections for his efforts.

The Patriots selected Gonzalez with the 18th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, hoping he would solidify a secondary that had been slipping. He played in just four games during his rookie campaign due to a shoulder injury, which had many already labeling him a potential bust.

But the 23-year-old really answered the bell last year, registering 59 tackles, a couple of interceptions and 11 passes defended in 16 games. As a result, Gonzalez has climbed on many top cornerback lists, and NFL executives and personnel people ranked him sixth in the league in a recent poll conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Gonzalez was so good in 2024, as a matter of fact, that Bleacher Report's Matt Holder has already named him in a list of five cornerbacks next in line for huge pay days, and Gonzalez — who was compared to Denver Broncos superstar Patrick Surtain II by those aforementioned NFL people — does not even become eligible for a contract extension until after next season.

"Surtain sits as the fifth-highest paid corner in the league at $24 million per year, via Over The Cap. So, being compared to the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is pretty good company for Gonzalez, as he's expected to cash in and will be eligible for an extension after this upcoming season," Holder wrote.

That means the Patriots will have to begin getting their bank account prepared for Gonzalez, although he still needs to show that he can be consistent.

Yes, the University of Oregon product was terrific last season, but one year does not make a perennial elite player, so New England must tread carefully with Gonzalez while still understanding that he will probably cost big money in the not-too-distant future.