Curran: "In my estimation... [Gonzo would like to] be treated as if he's at the table in 2027." [previous title: "say goodbye to gonzo"]

[TheRainMaker]

Hey Ty had a family to feed

Gonzo has to feed families.

 

[reflexblue]

Gonzo has to feed families.

Already.... Hes taking after diggs

 

[upstater1]

R

I see a guy who drafted Maye third when everyone who covers and follows football knew that three QB’s would go in the first three picks and which three, he just had to pick the last one standing, the rest of the picks are no longer on the team, heck a couple of them are probably no longer in the league. The following year he has a great draft, just maybe that had something do with Cowden and Vrabel.

I like Wolf, I think he fits in well with Vrabel and Cowden and it’s obvious Vrabel thinks so also.

Did he have a great draft in 2025?

It really remains to be seen.

I really hope Campbell, Treveyon, Kyle Williams and Jared Wilson work out, but you would not have high confidence in any of them based on last year. Any one of them could be future Pro Bowlers. Any one of them might not see a second contract. If Campbell has to move to guard, he's a bust.

 

[Uptown]

Which CB is better than Gonzo?..Only argument could be Surtain; only because he’s actually won a DPOY. Other than that, I still can’t say he’s better. If anything, they’re neck & neck.

 

[upstater1]

CBs taken in the first round in the first 5 years of the 2020s:

I put the hits in RED, GREEN for a young player with potential to be a very good CB, everyone else is a bust.

9 of 22 players selected in the first round turned out to be good CBs. There are a lot of busts. Chances are, you're drafting a bust in the first round if you take a CB.

2020:
3 Jeff Okudah
9 CJ Henderson
16 AJ Terrell
19 Damon Arnette
30 Noah Igbinoene
31 Jeff Gladney

2021:
8 Jaycee Horn
9 Pat Surtain
22 Caleb Farley
26 Greg Newsome
29 Eric Stokes

2022:
3 Derek Stingley
4 Sauce Gardner
21 Trent McDuffie
23 Kair Elam
31 Daxton Hill
32 Lewis Cine

2023:
5 Devon Witherspoon
16 Emanuel Forbes
17 Christian Gonzalez
24 Deon Banks

2024:
22 Quinyon Mitchell
30 Nate Wiggins

 

[TheRainMaker]

Which CB is better than Gonzo?..Only argument could be Surtain; only because he’s actually won a DPOY. Other than that, I still can’t say he’s better. If anything, they’re neck & neck.

I’d put Stingley ahead of him. Execs, coaches, scouts and players have him above Gonzalez.

 

[Uptown]

I’d put Stingley ahead of him. Execs, coaches, scouts and players have him above Gonzalez.

Stingley routinely gets beat by Kayshon Boutte…….

 

[patfanken]

It's about the title of being the "highest paid" and he wants to keep that title for some time.

That is SOOOOO shallow, that I weep for his generation. Why can't they just be happy being EXTREMELY highly paid for playing a HS sport. It seems so individual and self-centered for a game that is so TEAM oriented, where so much of one's individual success depends on 10 other players doing their jobs.

 

[JayNM]

This is one deal I wouldnt make

10% of the cap for one non-QB... flat out no.

Yeah, his skills are amazing. But he gets hurt, what then? If he declines in play, he becomes an albatross to absorb.

He has not shown to be *this* generational

 

[Sect140]

True that’s it’s too early, my key point was Wolf isn’t the one with final say on the draft picks.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Who knows of this is true. That’s my qualifier.

But, if it is?

Trade him.

Two 1st’s and a 2nd min.

You can find a really good corner to replace him, not pay them $35MM, AND get another good player or two.

 

[slash83]

Gonzo is putting the Pats in a hard situation. He is a CB1 and a very good one. But he isn't the best in the league. Probably not top 5 right now. He is top 10... and among the top 10, he is at an ideal age though and is next in line for the big pay day. But he is not that rare CB that deserves to be the top paid guy for more than 1 year... 2 max. He deserves his turn, but he is not so good that he is a guy who gets that special contract. He gets 'the best guy up' contract. Not the 'singular player' contract.

Gonzo thinking he deserves more than the next guy up contract and that he should get it early is just not accurate. IF he wants the huge deal though, he can go the Mahomes route... but no one wants to pay a CB a 6 or 7 year deal. So that is a non-starter anyway.

Personally i am not sure i believe this. Everyone in his ear is probably telling him the same thing. It is his turn... but even Surtain, the best in the game, had to compromise Even Surtain didn't get his turn for long... his team stepped in though and gave him a kicker to keep him more competitive. But he still isn't the highest paid. If Surtain is still a guy who needs to take his turn, so is Gonzo.

Not a a top 5 corner lmao

 

[TheRainMaker]

This is one deal I wouldnt make

10% of the cap for one non-QB... flat out no.

Yeah, his skills are amazing. But he gets hurt, what then? If he declines in play, he becomes an albatross to absorb.

He has not shown to be *this* generational

This is where you have to draw the line. None of the top paid CB's exceeds that. If that's what Gonzo wants, then we may see the dreaded trade rumors start up.

However, this could be the Curtis Martin saga all over again. Martin's durability was questioned, only to be become Iron Man in NY. That was the beginning of the end of the late 90's teams.

Aqib Tab's durability was also questioned as he tapped out in two consecutive AFCCG's. That ******* became Iron Man in Denver.

BB was able to eventually replace CB's during his time in NE. Vrabel didn't have any great CB's in Tennessee. That's the risk this team will have to seriously consider.

 

[JackBauer]

I really hope Campbell, Treveyon, Kyle Williams and Jared Wilson work out, but you would not have high confidence in any of them based on last year.

Disagree.

If Campbell has to move to guard, he's a bust.

Strongly disagree.

 

[ScottishPatriots]

Beware of Patriots Kraft propaganda when it comes to these contracts they're always dinking around with the guarantees and have a long track record of not paying the true premium positions top of the market contracts very often.

I'm not saying it's not true but i'm definitely saying if Gonzalez has such unrealistic demands he's asking for something a corner hasn't got before then there's no way another team will trade for him and give up multiple high assets and give him the contract he wants.

 

[upstater1]

Disagree.


Strongly disagree.

4th pick in the draft for a guard?

I totally agreed with the pick for Campbell. I'm not criticizing that.

But if I knew he was going to be a guard, I definitely would not have spent that kind of draft capital on a guard. LTs are very hard to find.

I would have taken Tet at that spot or traded down, if that were the case.

As for the rest of what I wrote, you have high confidence in these players based on last year? They all showed enough holes in their games to instill a little bit of doubt. You can't be super confident in any of the four, especially Williams and Wilson.

 

[upstater1]

Vrabel didn't have any great CB's in Tennessee. That's the risk this team will have to seriously consider.

And they drafted Caleb Farley pretty high there. He busted.

 

[upstater1]

You can find a really good corner to replace him, not pay them $35MM, AND get another good player or two.

There are a lot of teams without top corners. They don't grow on trees.

That being said, no one is 10% of the cap each and every year. Teams spread the cap hits out to the very end. So even a contract that is $33m per year ends up looking like this: 7% of cap, 8% of cap, 9% of cap, 12% of cap.

Let's remember that Stephon Gilmore accounted for over 10% of the cap in his last year (11.4%) and 7% overall. There's always been a premium at the position.

So, the deal could average $33m, but the guaranteed money will be spread out so that the hit will be $24m, $28m, $33m, $41m.

 

[JackBauer]

4th pick in the draft for a guard?

I totally agreed with the pick for Campbell. I'm not criticizing that.

But if I knew he was going to be a guard, I definitely would not have spent that kind of draft capital on a guard. LTs are very hard to find.

If he’s an All Pro guard, how would we consider him a bust?

Sure, if we were drafting again we might not take a guard at 4, but if he sticks there and is a solid player I don’t think you can call him a bust. A disappointment, okay, but to me a bust is someone like MHJ, a guy who is not good at football.

would have taken Tet at that spot or traded down, if that were the case.

As for the rest of what I wrote, you have high confidence in these players based on last year? They all showed enough holes in their games to instill a little bit of doubt. You can't be super confident in any of the four, especially Williams and Wilson.

I’m high on Campbell and Hendo.
I’m okay with Williams.
I personally think Wilson is going to improve playing at his natural position, but I understand why people might have doubts based on his play last year.

 

[upstater1]

I’m high on Campbell and Hendo.
I’m okay with Williams.
I personally think Wilson is going to improve playing at his natural position, but I understand why people might have doubts based on his play last year.

All I'm saying is it's too early to declare the draft a success like some are doing. All four might not pan out.

Again, of the four, I have high confidence that Campbell at least could become a good guard. But it will be a disappointment if that happens, given the draft position.

I can't see how people have no doubts about the other three.