At the start of training camp, there was intense focus on whether cornerback Christian Gonzalez would attend practice or begin a hold-in situation, rather than a holdout, to avoid the fines that come with missing training camp.
Fortunately, he wasn't just present; he was actively participating at a high level, seemingly assuring worried fans that he is ready for the upcoming season and won't let the ongoing negotiations of his first contract extensions be a distraction.
That was a promising development until last week, when Gonzalez has been missing practice with little said by the coaching staff. Mike Vrabel has hinted that he might be dealing with an injury, but the timing of his absence is what makes it seem more like it's about his extension.
Because he began missing practices right after the Seahawks reached a deal with their 2023 first-round cornerback Devon Witherspoon, it's hard to overlook the likely connection.
Based on updates from NFL insiders like Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter, it doesn't sound like the two sides are close to a deal, leading many to question whether the Patriots are even working with any urgency.
And now we're hearing directly from the man who will make the offer, as VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf spoke to WBZ News at halftime on Saturday night.
Eliot Wolf doesn't add much hope about the Patriots getting a deal done with Christian Gonzalez any time soon
This is the first time Eliot Wolf has spoken about the ongoing situation with Gonzalez in a few months, and instead of sharing good news, he reiterated that the Patriots value the kind of player he is and want to get an extension done soon.
“Each side is trying to do what’s right for them. Obviously, Christian’s a tremendous player that you know we’ve been on record multiple times saying we want him to be here, and that hasn’t changed.
So we’re going to continue working with his representation to try to get something done.”
The silver lining in this latest update is that the two sides are apparently still working closely to reach an agreement, even if insiders suggest they're nowhere near it.
And although that might be truer than Wolf let on, it's hard to imagine the Patriots would seriously risk losing Gonzalez now or in the future, given how important he has become to the defense and the team as a whole.
It shouldn't be a difficult negotiation process for either side, since Gonzalez is considered one of the best cornerbacks in the league and the Patriots know just how good he is. The secondary looks lost without him on the field, which has been apparent over the last three years, and that should be motivation enough to get a deal moving.
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