Yesterday, the New England Patriots extended tight end Hunter Henry to a two-year, $16 million extension. With Henry now locked in for two more seasons, New England needs to focus on reaching an extension with cornerback Christian Gonzalez as soon as possible.
The 24-year-old is easily one of the NFL's premier corners right now and a huge part of the Patriots' defense. Currently, Gonzalez has two years left before he'd hit free agency, but New England needs to get this done as quickly as possible. The Oregon alum is the type of player any team would want, and you can't afford to lose a player of that caliber.
Why the Patriots need to extend Christian Gonzalez
Last season, Gonzalez put on full display why he is one of the best corners currently playing, making multiple big plays. In the Super Bowl, Gonzalez broke up multiple passes and was a reason the score didn't look a lot worse than it could've. What makes this an easier decision is that Gonzalez should still improve as a player based on what he has shown.
Behind Gonzalez, while you have Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones as your other corners, after that you don't have any other proven players. Without the 24-year-old, the Patriots' corner room would go from a strength to a weakness real quick. Elite corners are hard to find, and if a team is lucky enough to find one, you do everything you can to ensure you keep them.
Coming into this season, most people have talked about the Patriots' offense more than the defense (understandable due to the big additions on that side). Though the offense has been the focus, the defensive side is just as important. New England saw firsthand how important a strong defense is to winning a championship with how well the Seattle Seahawks defense played against them.
During last season's playoffs, the defense improved dramatically, and if they can carry that over, the offense's job will be even easier. For that defensive momentum to continue, you need Gonzalez on the field. Having Gonzalez out on the field makes life easier on the rest of the defense, as you can trust him to take away the opposing team's top receiving threat.
Patriots fans likely won't see Christian Gonzalez in preseason
Fortunately for fans of the Patriots, football is almost back.
While it's just the preseason, we finally get New England back in action on Thursday, August 13, when they host the Indianapolis Colts. Given that it's preseason, it's very unlikely that Gonzalez suits up for the game.
New England kicks off the regular season with a Super Bowl rematch against the Seahawks on Thursday, September 9. If the Patriots want to win that game, having Gonzalez play as he did in the Super Bowl would be a huge help for them.
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