The long wait is almost over.

Preseason and training camp are over, roster cuts are this weekend, and now the Patriots can begin preparing for their season opener on Wednesday, Aug. 9 against the Seahawks.

Let’s do one last summer mailbag before the regular season arrives.

@jk3822: Something about this Gonzo saga reminds me of when Deion Branch was traded back in the day. Hoping I’m wrong. Give us some positive news, Doug!

Maybe I’m just an optimist, but I still feel like the Patriots and Christian Gonzalez will still find common ground and get a deal done.

But I can totally see what you mean. I wouldn’t necessarily call things contentious at this point, but it feels like there’s the potential that things could turn that way between Gonzalez acknowledging some frustration over the lack of a deal and Eliot Wolf continuing to negotiate through the media when it’s clear that Gonzalez doesn’t want to handle things that way.

And then Adam Schefter’s report on Thursday — that the two sides aren’t close and that the Patriots haven’t been willing to give Gonzalez Devon Witherspoon-type money — now seems like it could be a response from Gonzalez’s team.

So, where does this all go?

Gonzalez is still under contract for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Technically, the Patriots could not only keep him for those seasons but then even franchise him in 2028, 2029 and 2030. That almost certainly won’t happen. Gonzalez was demand a trade well before that happens, but the Patriots do have some options, and Schefter even raised the possibility of a trade down the line.

Here’s my opinion on the matter: Sign Gonzalez. The Patriots have drafted one player in the first round worthy of a second contract since 2013, and that’s Gonzalez. It makes far more sense to pay up and sign Gonzalez to an extension rather than overpaying for free agents.

It’s been three years since Gonzalez was selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Quarterback Drake Maye is also worthy of a top contract, and it’s too early to tell on left tackle Will Campbell and offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, but it’s ultimately a good thing if the Patriots have to pay top market for those guys too.

The money has to be spent regardless. Why not reward a guy who’s continued to practice, and practice at a high level, even as he seeks a new contract?

@littleashtag: You are able to make the decision Which position are you signing next?

I’m signing, claiming or trading for an edge defender.

Currently, rookie Gabe Jacas is the top backup behind Dre’Mont Jones and Elijah Ponder. It feels early in Jacas’ career for him to take on that important of a role.

If Harold Landry III can return from the PUP list before the start of the season, then that changes things. But there are really only three edge defenders worthy of keeping on the 53-man roster, and it’s an important position.

@_justinmiller97: Who ends up leading the team in touchdowns? Who leads them in sacks? Who is the most disappointing? And who is the most surprising?

Touchdowns: Romeo Doubs

Sacks: Milton Williams

Disappointing: That’s tough. I’ll say Carlton Davis III, just because he was already showing some signs of age last season with the penalties. He didn’t look like the same player when he returned from an injury this summer, but perhaps he was just knocking off rust.

Surprising: Jared Wilson

@SoxPatsCsplswin: Considering how weak at the depth is at certain positions, how many waiver claims do you see the patriots making?

I’ll go with two to three. I think it could have been more, but they’re 31st in the waiver claim order.

I think they should be scouring the waiver wire at running back, offensive line, edge defender, linebacker, cornerback and maybe even defensive tackle.

There’s a lot of room for improvement on this roster. Mike Vrabel wasn’t kidding about their lack of depth.

@kelmarshall12: How do you think the running back room shakes out? Seems like there wasn’t as strong of preseason showing in the run game, but realize that may be due to a backup offensive line that hasn’t played a ton of snaps together.

I had the Patriots keeping just two running backs on their 53-man roster, since I don’t envision an issue getting Lan Larison, Jam Miller and/or Hassan Haskins through waivers and onto the practice squad.

Then the Patriots can just elevate one of those players for Week 1 to back up Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.

I think Stevenson will have a solid season. I considered putting Henderson in the “disappointing” category above. I haven’t seen a lot from him this summer. He’ll need a lot of those explosive plays this season.

@brotherblues_PF: Of the 45 gameday actives for week 1, over 90% of them will have either: A) Not played at all in last night’s game, or B) Just made a token apprearance. Teams have replaced preseason games with joint practices. Full stop. Where does the league go from here?

The first step will inevitably be to reduce the preseason games down to two when the NFL expands to 18 games.

From there, I could envision a scenario where there’s only one, or maybe even no preseason games in the future. The NFL makes money off of them, but they could charge fans to attend joint practices, and they could begin televising them.

I can tell you this: The two joint practices between the Patriots and Eagles were exponentially more entertaining than the Patriots-Eagles preseason game.

Joint practices are now how teams get starters prepared for the season, and preseason games and practice are how they evaluate younger players.

It just feels odd that teams are charging for people to watch the players few people care about seeing, and fans can come to practice for free to watch the players they know and like. It’s backwards, but NFL teams don’t want to risk their most important players in preseason games.

The Patriots lost three backup offensive linemen to injuries this summer. Imagine if that was Will Campbell, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Jared Wilson instead?

@dyhrdpatsfan: Who is this year’s RFA that makes the roster?

I had three undrafted free agents making the team on my latest 53-man roster projection: LB Khalil Jacobs, TE Tanner Arkin and CB Channing Canada.

Jacobs and Arkin seem like solid possibilities. Canada was more of a longshot, but I think the Patriots’ lack of depth and quality options across the roster could allow them to keep a developmental player like Canada at a valuable position of need.