With the AJ Brown trade officially in the books, the Patriots have to turn their attention to other pressing matters, and it would be fair to argue that the most important part of business left to tend to is securing a contract extension for cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
It was reportedly going to be a point of emphasis this offseason, which ultimately led the team to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2027 season. But since then, not much has been said about their negotiations for a long-term, record-breaking extension, which isn't a great sign of what's to come.
Gonzalez already appears to be skipping out on OTAs, and the hope is that he will be present for mandatory mini camp later this month, regardless of whether contract discussions have occurred.
However, that won't necessarily end Patriots fans' concerns about what holding off on the extension could mean for the upcoming season, and it appears Eliot Wolf isn't acting with any urgency to get a deal done.
That point was reiterated by NFL insider Ian Rapoport, who also offered a sliver of optimism fans shouldn't overlook as the offseason continues.
Ian Rapoport shares the latest update on the Patriots ongoing standoff with Christian Gonzalez
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show earlier this week, Rapoport shared his take on the pressing matter involving Gonzalez, saying there is a "good chance" the cornerback gets a huge new deal.
At the same time, however, he isn't so sure that an extension is going to come any time soon, and while that's not anything to celebrate, the fact that he still believes a deal will come together might be enough of a positive update to get Patriots fans to worry a little less for the time being.
"Before the season I think there's a good chance Christian Gonzalez gets a new deal..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 4, 2026
I imagine he's gonna get a huge deal I just don't know if it's imminent" ~ @RapSheet #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/ppvbNcTIXZ
That's a far cry from what Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard just said while speaking to Felger and Mazz on the radio last week, as the Patriots insider suggested the Krafts might not be interested in giving Gonzalez the deal that he deserves since it's expected to reset the cornerback market.
At this point, it might be more about who we should believe more, and based on his track record, it's probably best to lean toward Rapoport.
Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf have shown no sign of not wanting to get a deal done with Gonzalez, even if they don't appear to be trying to get it done sooner rather than later. If anything, they've stated the opposite, so that is difficult to ignore.
The secondary is considered one of the best in the league for a reason: Gonzalez. Moving on from him would be a disaster, and it seems like the Patriots know that, but they're just not necessarily acting like it.
It's a matter of actions speaking louder than words, so it would be nice to hear that they're at least coming to the table with Gonzalez's team to work toward an extension, rather than sitting on their hands and waiting instead.
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