Now that Devon Witherspoon has reportedly signed an extension with the Seattle Seahawks, there are no more excuses for the New England Patriots: they need to get a deal done with Christian Gonzalez. Immediately.
Fans have been clamoring for the Patriots to lock Gonzo up, and it's a little wild that it still hasn't happened yet. The one possible explanation is that the two sides were waiting for Witherspoon's new deal to set the cornerback market. And now that that's settled, it's up to the Patriots to do whatever they can to sign the Oregon alum to a new deal and ensure he sticks around for the long haul.
The Patriots need Christian Gonzalez to remain competitive
There's a lot to like about New England's roster. Drake Maye was just the MVP runner-up and has a sky-high ceiling, the team has a legitimate receiving corps for the first time in a long time, their running game is intriguing, their offensive line looks serviceable, and their defense was one of the biggest reasons they made it to the Super Bowl last year.
But Gonzalez isn't just one of the Patriots' best players on their roster. He isn't even just their best defensive player. He is crucial to their success and has already established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL at just 24 years old.
Gonzalez is New England's defensive anchor. The team's entire defensive unit is built around him and his strengths, and he is going to be incredibly important moving forward because of his elite man-to-man skills and overall versatility. (Plus, at his age, there are reasons to think he hasn't even hit his peak yet, which should terrify the rest of the NFL.)
As it stands, the Patriots are aiming to prove that last year's Super Bowl run wasn't a fluke; it was the start of something special. But in order for them to achieve this goal, they need to make sure that Gonzalez is going to be around for at least the foreseeable future (especially since it's not like they're going to find an upgrade anytime soon, either).
The Patriots need to do whatever it takes to extend Christian Gonzalez
Under no circumstance should New England risk losing its star cornerback for whatever reason. It can't afford him requesting a trade, and it would obviously be ridiculous for the team to move on from him for financial reasons.
The Texas native might demand a lot of money (which, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, could be up to $35 million per year), but he's earned it. Maybe it's easier for me to say since it's not my money, but I don't think this should be much of a debate. The Patriots should hand Gonzalez a blank check and just give him whatever he's asking for.
They have an incredible roster that's built to compete now and for the next five+ years. They are getting everything they were hoping to get out of Gonzalez, as he is already looking like one of the top defensive players in the league.
If the Patriots don't make a deal happen, it's going to go down as one of the biggest blunders in the franchise's recent history (which is actually saying something). They need to do whatever they can to sign Gonzalez to a new deal. And they need to make it happen as soon as humanly possible.
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