Now that the Christian Gonzalez saga is behind us after the New England Patriots signed him to a four-year, $135 million contract extension (which makes him the highest-paid cornerback in league history), the team is finally ready to compete for a Super Bowl and prove that last year's run wasn't a fluke -- it was the start of something special.
Many criticized the Patriots' Super Bowl appearance last year because of a weak schedule and the fact that they caught so many breaks (namely Nico Collins not playing for the Houston Texans in the divisional round against them last season due to a concussion, and Bo Nix sustaining a freak ankle injury and missing the AFC Championship Game for the Denver Broncos), but that's not completely fair.
To be successful in any league, you need to be good and lucky, and even though New England ultimately lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, they proved that they have the talent to contend for a championship for years to come. And now that they locked Gonzalez up for the foreseeable future, it's officially time for them to make a statement and prove that they can't be taken lightly.
Extending Christian Gonzalez was the cherry on top for New England
Gonzalez is one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and he is easily the Patriots' most valuable player on defense. That whole unit is built around him and his strengths. He's the entire engine, and now that it looks like he is going to stick around for the long haul, New England's secondary (and defense overall) should be one of the best units in the NFL.
But it's so much more than that. The Patriots have a lot going for them from here on out, and fans should be thrilled about the team's outlook.
Drake Maye (who just turned 24 years old last week, by the way) finished second in MVP voting in his first full NFL season (he started 12 games as a rookie the year before). The Patriots have a legitimately deep receiving room for the first time in a long time with their A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs acquisitions this offseason. Their offensive line has a lot of potential. And they were one of the top defenses in the league last year and should continue to be near the top moving forward.
Only time will tell if New England is going to raise the Lombardi Trophy again anytime soon, but fans should at least feel pretty good about the team's chances. The core is strong, young, and filled with potential. There is also a good mix of young stars (especially Maye, Gonzalez, and Will Campbell) and impactful veterans (Brown, Hunter Henry, Morgan Moses, Kevin Byard, Robert Spillane) on the roster.
There is a lot to like about this Patriots team and where they can go from here. That was going to be the case regardless of what went down with Gonzalez, but now that that's figured out, it's time for them to show the rest of the NFL what they're really made of.
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