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"]

[upstater1]

Good post... the BB and Mayo Drafts aside from Drake Maye have been putrid no dept players. Making a slash in FA is good but has repercussions when you basically have nothing behind them. Salary Escalations are coming for recent FA's. I'm hoping Prunty is a player so we can move on from Carlton Davis. Anyway CB could be a Top priority in 2027: just to stem the tide.

But the bad Belichick drafts were from 2014 to 2019. Much less so 2020 to 2023.

So this is a more recent problem.

In any draft, you want to return 3 eventual starters. That's how you build a team. The Belichick '22 draft was bad, it only yielded Marcus Jones, but the other 3 were decent to good.

The 2024 draft hurts us a lot because we were drafting so high in every round. So Polk and Wallace and Robinson and Baker were not only bad picks, but they were top 100 picks. We had a lot of draft capital. Effectively, our second rounder was like a late 1st rounder. These were premium picks. There's a huge difference between Mr. 34 and Mr. 68.

 

[PatsFan2]

But the bad Belichick drafts were from 2014 to 2019. Much less so 2020 to 2023.

So this is a more recent problem.

In any draft, you want to return 3 eventual starters. That's how you build a team. The Belichick '22 draft was bad, it only yielded Marcus Jones, but the other 3 were decent to good.

The 2024 draft hurts us a lot because we were drafting so high in every round. So Polk and Wallace and Robinson and Baker were not only bad picks, but they were top 100 picks. We had a lot of draft capital. Effectively, our second rounder was like a late 1st rounder. These were premium picks. There's a huge difference between Mr. 34 and Mr. 68.

I'm just happy that the 2027 Draft looks Very Deep and we have done well the last Two Drafts. We are Trending in the right direction.

 

[slash83]

Gonna miss you Gonzo, wish Kraft wasn’t so damn cheap.

 

[mgteich]

Any team trading for him will know his contract demands will be through the roof. If he plays well and asks for 10-12% of the cap, we could be talking about $39m a year given the rise of future caps. Who is going to pay him that AND give you 1st round draft picks? No one.

As for franchising that works even less. No non-RB has played on a franchise tag since Dak Prescott in 2020, except Tee Higgins and Chris Godwin coming off an injury. And the reason is that teams know that a player like Gonzalez can only play half the games, have his contract toll, and then he enters free agency with you getting nothing. If you franchise him again, he gets 20% higher than the top salaries (which will all be around $30m) so he would get $36m and ALL THAT money would have to count against that year's cap, which would burden the team.

It's a losing strategy if your fallback is, we'll just pay him $36m!!! Kind of crazy, when you can just pay him $33m now and spread the money over the length of the contract.

If I read you right, we need to pay him now or trade him now. Those are only reasonable options.

 

[PatsFan2]

Gonna miss you Gonzo, wish Kraft wasn’t so damn cheap.

The Team have to do their due diligence knowing: Prior Free Agency Salary Escalations are coming. I hope they get it done but Gonzo gotta be somewhat reasonable too.

 

[upstater1]

If I read you right, we need to pay him now or trade him now. Those are only reasonable options.

Yes, because of 2 things. Diminished return (if we're unwilling to pay him now, we're even more unwilling to pay him next year, as his trade value diminishes) and because he'll be somewhat disgruntled.

A good comparison here would be the Titans trade of AJ Brown to the Eagles. They were unwilling to pay him, so they traded him early. That's where we are with Gonzalez.

 

[upstater1]

I'm just happy that the 2027 Draft looks Very Deep and we have done well the last Two Drafts. We are Trending in the right direction.

Have we done well?

Won't know until the midpoint of this year. Williams, Wilson, Henderson remain to be seen. I was a big fan of taking Lomu and Jacas, but again, these 2 players look raw and green. There's no guarantee that they will ever get it. I have faith in Campbell, but if you told me after this season, that Campbell, Henderson, Williams and Wilson all disappointed, I would only be 75% surprised, not 100% surprised. I think each of those 4 has the capacity to disappoint. Woodson is the guy we have the most faith in at this point.

 

[slash83]

The one player they hit on, helped developed into a an all pro they’re gonna screw up. For a team that’s been nothing short of pathetic at drafting, finally hit and they’re being stingy.

 

[PatsFan2]

Have we done well?

Won't know until the midpoint of this year. Williams, Wilson, Henderson remain to be seen. I was a big fan of taking Lomu and Jacas, but again, these 2 players look raw and green. There's no guarantee that they will ever get it. I have faith in Campbell, but if you told me after this season, that Campbell, Henderson, Williams and Wilson all disappointed, I would only be 75% surprised, not 100% surprised. I think each of those 4 has the capacity to disappoint. Woodson is the guy we have the most faith in at this point.

Hope springs eternal...they all seem more promising than anything aside from Drake Maye in that 24 Draft. IF they all make the Second year jump we'll be good for years to come.

 

[scott99]

I saw that too… just have to block *****es like him….

The bad thing is, people are taking it as gospel, so others are reporting it. I hope it’s true, I’d give him props if true, but until reported by someone who matters, it’s not true.

 

[Steve102]

You know, Vrabel has been talking about Gonzalez getting paid pretty much since he took over here. That means, to me anyway, that Gonzo's first veteran contract has been a topic of discussion for some time. Whatever it is he wants... they have known what it is for at least two seasons. Just speculating here, but maybe the guy is unrealistic? If he wants to be the highest paid defender and wants to re-write how CBs are paid, is it fine and they should just pay him? Before you say yes... look at the giant chasm at edge. Perhaps this regime isn't going to value CBs like Bill did.

 

[Mack Herron]

Agree or disagree:

 

[scott99]

Gonna miss you Gonzo, wish Kraft wasn’t so damn cheap.

Such a dumb and uneducated statement.

 

[TommyD4207]

Agree or disagree:

Agree with a caveat.
There's a non-zero chance NEITHER deal gets done in a timely manner - if at all.

 

[slash83]

 

[TommyD4207]

Local Reporter - Patriots Employees.

Find me a National reporter who says this, or a local reporter who says the opposite, and you have something.

 

[jimnance]

Gonzo has not faced many elite WR’s during his career.

Lol. You have a very short memory.
Honzo has shut down more top wrs than any other cb in the NFL.
Let's review shall we:
A couple years ago he did something I have never seen in nfl history. Fame after game shut down pretty much every top wr in the league.
Tyreek Hill was unquestionably the best wr in the league that year. Hardest wr to cover.
He said after facing Gonzo " that is the best cb I've ever faced". Not exact quote but same meaning. I think Hill was targeted with Gonzo on him man to man 7 times and caught 1 pass. Minimal gain.
He completely shut down Ceedee Lamb who went 0-7 vs. Gonzo. Lamb was tha Cowboys #2 wr then. Cant remember their #1's name but Gonzo shut him down then hthe wr left due to injury. Lamb had been toasting every other Pats cb so now Gonzo was put on him. 0-7. Case closed. Shut down Jaylen Waddle. There's a bunch more this was in a period of 5 or 6 games. I can't remember all the names but I believe it was something like 8 out of the top 10 wrs he faced with Gonzo dominating.
Finally who was the best player on the field in the SB? We all k own the answer.

 

[Zuma]

Continue to pay him on his existing contract and then extend / franchise him until he refuses to play…if he refuses to take the reasonable highest paid CB contract ever.

 

[jimnance]

You know, Vrabel has been talking about Gonzalez getting paid pretty much since he took over here. That means, to me anyway, that Gonzo's first veteran contract has been a topic of discussion for some time. Whatever it is he wants... they have known what it is for at least two seasons. Just speculating here, but maybe the guy is unrealistic? If he wants to be the highest paid defender and wants to re-write how CBs are paid, is it fine and they should just pay him? Before you say yes... look at the giant chasm at edge. Perhaps this regime isn't going to value CBs like Bill did.

No he shouldnt be the highest paid defender.
Miles Garrett says hello among others.
But he absolutely should be the highest paid cb. He's the best in the nfl. The only knock on him is he has missed some time to injury.
I have no idea what he wants, as none of us do. Our D goes from top 10 to bottom 10 just like that! if you subtract him.
Cb has become one of the most and impact full defensive positions. Much more than it was 15 years ago. An elite DT Ala Donald etc who is elite both interior pass rushing and runstopping is obviously the #1 defensive position.
As for edge, only if the edge is a complete player who is elite passrushing AND runstopping/setting the edge. If hes a one trick pony who can only pile up sacks, then a cb like Gonzo or Surtain is more valuable.
I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out.

 

[mgteich]

Continue to pay him on his existing contract and then extend / franchise him until he refuses to play…if he refuses to take the reasonable highest paid CB contract ever.

there is no "and then"

I don't think that he will play for under $3M in 2026 unless you mean showing up and then not playing because of a minor injury for enough games to make the season count.