Callahan with Giardi: Is Gonzo having a down season?

[Real fan 02]

It was a perfect pass and catch, even the best get beat… they just get beat less often.

It’s hard to notice the CB who nobody throws at for most of the game, or who makes play after play denying the pass… versus the one TD he allowed.

Flacco threw for 183 yards, threw an INT for a TD return and had a 63.2 QB Rating. He was mostly neutered.

One TD allowed by Gonzo does not make or break his career. He’ll give another one up I’m sure before it’s over. I can’t remember which game, but Gilmore had a stinker in his DPOY season.

Gilly had one sub parr game 2019..against... can't believe I'm even saying it.. devante parker..

 

[n1997y]

Yes, he's just tapping into his potential and by doing that last season got him an all pro nod.. I truly believe his game is only going to continue to get better.. go figure once we can add some edge ushers up front he's really going to be able to capitalize..

We have some “edge ushers” up front. We really need to replace them with rushers who won’t politely usher opponents downfield. Don’t you just love AI autodestruct. lol.

 

[Real fan 02]

Idk if I'd say "down season" but I have kind of felt that he isn't like blanket coverage, erase a top receiver type of player. But really more just like he's a pro bowl/all pro type of player vs. playing at a HOF level. I think maybe the hype got to be a little much where he was being looked at as a generational type of talent, and I don't know if I see him on THAT level.

HPF,

You're a very good poster with great insights and great understanding of the game.. someone like yourself would definitely understand what I mean by coverages.. as we play a mix of man/zone this season.. most of Gonzo's catches given up are primarily in soft zone..

 

[Wozzy]

Gilly had one sub parr game 2019..against... can't believe I'm even saying it.. devante parker..

That was it.

 

[Real fan 02]

We have some “edge ushers” up front. We really need to replace them with rushers who won’t politely usher opponents downfield. Don’t you just love AI autodestruct. lol.

N.. I see what you did there..

 

[n1997y]

N.. I see what you did there..

Sorry, it was just too juicy to pass up

 

[Real fan 02]

Sorry, it was just too juicy to pass up

I get it my guy.... AI can be a Mother I'll tell ya..

 

[Real fan 02]

Yes I can. But at the time I was working with a personal trainer who was his cousin and they hooked me up with tickets to the preseason game with the ‘Skins at FedEx Field so I had some interest.

As I recall he was sort of a flash in the pan. Pretty good, showed promise, got injured and never got back from it, at least not to the same level of play. Too bad.

Gonzo in my opinion will be the 2nd best DRAFTED CB in NE... to this guy...

 

[Pape]

Gonzo in my opinion will be the 2nd best DRAFTED CB in NE... to this guy...

interesting...

Law & Gonzo better than Haynes?

one could argue Haynes is the best CB drafted in New England...

 

[TheRainMaker]

CB's are more difficult to grade because the lack of talent at WR today is glaring. Gonzo hasn't even gone up against anyone elite. Ty Law was going up against elite WR's regularly and getting INT's.

However, I can see where the concern is as he's given up 425 yards passing and has an 81 passer rating when thrown his way to only 1 TD. He's on pace for giving up over 800 yards had played a 17 game season. Is this because they are more in zone? I rarely see him beat one on one. The passes he gives up looks like zone where he's near the WR.

 

[Thelonious]

He's been a very good corner. The compensation offered him should reflect that happy fact. It should also reflect that, to this point, he has not shown himself to be a great corner.

If he insists on setting a new standard for corner compensation, trade him, because he has not set a new standard for cornerback play, at all.

 

[Real fan 02]

interesting...

Law & Gonzo better than Haynes?

one could argue Haynes is the best CB drafted in New England...

Hmmmm.. how could I ever forget about haynes.. never got to see him play as I was born in the 70s decade.. but saw clips of him.. 7 years here and then went to the Raiders... right?

 

[WaterfallJumper]

He's been a very good corner. The compensation offered him should reflect that happy fact. It should also reflect that, to this point, he has not shown himself to be a great corner.

If he insists on setting a new standard for corner compensation, trade him, because he has not set a new standard for cornerback play, at all.

He's maybe the best pure man to man corner in the league. He's got the best fluidity, mirror ability, and make up speed of any young corner out there. Yes, he gets beat at times. Yes, he hasn't shined quite as much since they've played more zone lately. No to any analysis that ignores that and doesn't recognize that he's an All Pro CB and will absolutely be paid like one.

 

[Wozzy]

CB's are more difficult to grade because the lack of talent at WR today is glaring. Gonzo hasn't even gone up against anyone elite. Ty Law was going up against elite WR's regularly and getting INT's.

Tyreek, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, Ceedee Lamb, Brian Thomas, Garrett Wilson, Puka Nacua, Deebo Samuel… he’s dealt with some pretty tough customers since entering the NFL.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Recency bias has me remembering him getting roasted by a nobody Cincy receiver.

 

[Wozzy]

Recency bias has me remembering him getting roasted by a nobody Cincy receiver.

Here’s a video of N’Keal Harry beating Byron Jones for a TD. Jones was coming off a season he went to a Pro Bowl and was voted an All Pro.



Everybody gets beat… the greats get beat a lot less.

 

[Thelonious]

He's maybe the best pure man to man corner in the league. He's got the best fluidity, mirror ability, and make up speed of any young corner out there. Yes, he gets beat at times. Yes, he hasn't shined quite as much since they've played more zone lately. No to any analysis that ignores that and doesn't recognize that he's an All Pro CB and will absolutely be paid like one.

My "analysis" explicitly did not "ignore that." Would it help if I waved pom poms as I type? I agree that he is a "very good" CB. Any assertion that he is elite, worthy of setting a new compensation standard for the position, is premature at best, delusional fanboy stuff at worst.

 

[ivanvamp]

Gonzo hasn't been perfect by any stretch, but he's been good. Very good. Even guys like Revis get scored on from time to time. The other guys are talented too and get paid to win their matchups. Being elite doesn't mean you never get cooked. It means you get cooked far, far less than other guys do.

 

[Uptown]

He’s so mid smdh….

 

[Hugepatsfan]

He's been a very good corner. The compensation offered him should reflect that happy fact. It should also reflect that, to this point, he has not shown himself to be a great corner.

If he insists on setting a new standard for corner compensation, trade him, because he has not set a new standard for cornerback play, at all.

That's a stubborn way to look at contracts. You're not going to be able to keep top talent on your roster with that attitude. Scarcity and inflation drive players salaries up as much as individual performance. You can't be so rigid as to only pay a guy where he "ranks" at his position.

Last September Pat Surtain set a new high for the CB market. Then Stingley set it in March 2025. Then Sauce set it in July 2025. That's just how these things go. Gonzalez may not be setting the standard for CB play, but he's reasonably close enough to the top of the position rankings that he wouldn't be outrageous to ask for a spot on the conveyor belt of players who reset the positional market every year. Even if we do make him the highest paid CB he'll probably be hanging on to a spot in the top 5 halfway through the deal.