“Of course I want to be here. I’ve said this multiple times.”
Christian Gonzalez and the Patriots are still at a contractual impasse. Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe
June 9, 2026 | 7:03 PM
3 minutes to read
FOXBOROUGH — Patriots star cornerback Christian Gonzalez was out on the practice field with the rest of his teammates on Tuesday for the start of New England’s mandatory minicamp practices.
The 23-year-old defensive back — locked in a prolonged contract negotiation with the Patriots that could make him the highest-paid corner in the league — was candid Tuesday when asked about his desire to remain in New England for the foreseeable future.
“Of course I want to be here,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve said this multiple times. I’ve been drafted here. I want to be rewarded as a Patriot, and I love this town. I love this city. So, yeah, of course I want to be here.”
While Gonzalez is in attendance for mandatory minicamp, he opted to skip the team’s voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) — with his teammate, Marcus Jones, noting last week that his contract negotiations were the reason for his absence.
On Tuesday, Gonzalez was asked why he chose to skip OTAs.
“I mean, felt like I could get my work in,” Gonzalez said. “I was able to talk to the coaches, and we talked about it and got some work in.”
Gonzalez’s work during Tuesday’s minicamp practice was limited. He took part in warmups and individual drills by not slotting in for snaps during 11-on-11 sessions against New England’s offense.
Gonzalez was asked if he’s optimistic that a deal will eventually be struck between him and the Patriots:
“I hope so,” Gonzalez said. “That’s between them two [Gonzalez’s agent and the Patriots]. It takes both sides to get it done, and like I said, I want to be here. So, that’s what I’m going to say.”
Even though the Patriots have two more minicamp practices, the team will then have an extended stretch away from the practice field before training camp begins on July 25.
For now, Gonzalez said he isn’t worried about these contract talks impacting his participation several weeks from now once camp begins.
“Training camp? I’m not worried about that. I mean, we’re in mandatory minicamp right now, so that’s what we’re focused on this week here today,” he said.
Gonzalez, whose fifth-year option was picked up by New England earlier this offseason, is officially under contract with New England for both the upcoming 2026 and 2027 seasons.
That fifth-year option represents a sizable pay bump for the corner, whose cap hit will jump from $4.8 million to $18.1 million in 2027.
But, Gonzalez is waiting for an even larger payout now that he’s eligible to sign a long-term deal — especially coming off of a dominant showing during the postseason.
Gonzalez has been a foundational piece of New England’s resurgence over the last few years. He earned Second Team All-Pro honors in 2024 before securing a Pro Bowl nod this past year.
The shutdown corner out of Oregon elevated his game during New England’s unexpected run to Super Bowl LX this past winter, recording an interception, a sack, and breaking up seven total passes over four playoff games.
He saved his best performance during the Patriots’ loss to Seattle in Super Bowl LX — finishing with three pass breakups that took two potential Seahawks touchdowns off the board.
Given his age, track record, and the emphasis paid to elite, shutdown corners, Gonzalez could eventually net a contract that surpasses the four-year, $124 million deal that Trent McDuffie signed with the Rams earlier this offseason.
Even though Gonzalez is signed for the next two years, he was noncommittal about the possibility of playing this season without a new contract in place.
“We got a long time to the season, so we’re still in, pretty early in the offseason, so I’m focused on being here, being here for the team, and doing my role and what I’m here for this weekend, and focused on that,” Gonzalez said.
While both Gonzalez’s camp and the Patriots wait for the other side to budge on contract talks, Mike Vrabel said he’s had no issue with the star corner and the line of communication that he’s maintained with the team during these negotiations.
“Conversations have been great,” Vrabel said. “I talked to him about his [charity basketball] event last week. I talked to him about normal things that we talk about.
“It is good to have everybody back in here that either was here last week or that was not. It is just good to have an almost complete football team here. I am excited to keep working.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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