PATRIOTS NEWS Patriots pick up Gonzo’s 5th year option

[pazrul72]

I've seen reports that they can only have one of these huge deals each year (per Kraft), and getting Brown would kick both Gonzalez and Maye down the road one year each.

It wouldn't surprise me if Kraft did have a rule like that because while the team is valued at Billions that's not liquid cash in hand. Browns deal however doesn't qualify towards that IMO because it's just a normal deal where the 29 mil salary is all that's being paid and it gets broken up into 52 weekly checks so all part of the budget and easily handled in the yearly salary cap already put aside.

It's the massive NEW deals like Maye and Gonzo you are talking about where Kraft needs to put aside whatever the guaranteed number is into an Escrow account so coming up with say 120 million dollars on the spot is just a bit more challenging and not more often then once a year. Luckily there is no way in hell they aren't aware of what they are going to need to do for both of those players and assuming general competency are budgeting and planning accordingly for back to back years of major contracts.

 

[Bill Lee]

This thread kinda feels like two old aunties arguing about what the young niece will get in the divorce.

Relax, maybe there won't be a divorce, maybe he'll take her on an all-around-the-world vacation and they'll patch things up.

 

[Triumph]

The Pats dont need to give Gonzo a new deal until 2027.

Basically, Gonzo does have guarantees beyond 2026 since his 2027 salary is guaranteed. All 18 mil which the Pats will likely role into his extension next off season unless they reach a deal in 2026. That 5th year option was the smartest deal ever. Trent McDuffie just signed with LAR to the tune of 31 mil per because KC didnt install a 5th year. Fortunately for KC they were picking high in the draft and it didnt cost that much to move up and get Delane.

Nobody needs to wait for Witherspoon. Just look at the McDuffie deal @ 31 mil per. He was drafted the year prior to Gonzo and Witherspoon. Who is Witherspoon going to base his deal off of?

Currently Gonzo is the 52nd highest paid CB in the NFL when he plays like the # 1 guy.

Christian Gonzalez Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap

Christian Gonzalez contract and salary cap details, including signing bonus, guaranteed salary, dead money, roster bonuses, and contract history

overthecap.com

 

[rkarp1]

It wouldn't surprise me if Kraft did have a rule like that because while the team is valued at Billions that's not liquid cash in hand. Browns deal however doesn't qualify towards that IMO because it's just a normal deal where the 29 mil salary is all that's being paid and it gets broken up into 52 weekly checks so all part of the budget and easily handled in the yearly salary cap already put aside.

It's the massive NEW deals like Maye and Gonzo you are talking about where Kraft needs to put aside whatever the guaranteed number is into an Escrow account so coming up with say 120 million dollars on the spot is just a bit more challenging and not more often then once a year. Luckily there is no way in hell they aren't aware of what they are going to need to do for both of those players and assuming general competency are budgeting and planning accordingly for back to back years of major contracts.

According to 2025 estimates from Forbes, the New England Patriots had an operating income (often used as a proxy for profit in these reports) of approximately $222 million. [1, 2]

Key Financial Details (2025)

• Operating Income: ~$222 million
• Annual Revenue: Approximately $762 million
• Franchise Value: Estimated between $8.76 billion and $9 billion. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Context
Because the New England Patriots are a privately owned organization, their exact net profit is not publicly disclosed. The figures above are estimates provided by financial analysts and business publications based on reported league revenues, stadium deals, and other public business metrics. [1, 2]
For comparison, Forbes listed the team as the fourth or fifth most valuable franchise in the NFL during the 2025 season. [1, 2, 3]

 

[rkarp1]

The Pats dont need to give Gonzo a new deal until 2027.

Basically, Gonzo does have guarantees beyond 2026 since his 2027 salary is guaranteed. All 18 mil which the Pats will likely role into his extension next off season unless they reach a deal in 2026. That 5th year option was the smartest deal ever. Trent McDuffie just signed with LAR to the tune of 31 mil per because KC didnt install a 5th year. Fortunately for KC they were picking high in the draft and it didnt cost that much to move up and get Delane.

Nobody needs to wait for Witherspoon. Just look at the McDuffie deal @ 31 mil per. He was drafted the year prior to Gonzo and Witherspoon. Who is Witherspoon going to base his deal off of?

Currently Gonzo is the 52nd highest paid CB in the NFL when he plays like the # 1 guy.

Christian Gonzalez Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap

Christian Gonzalez contract and salary cap details, including signing bonus, guaranteed salary, dead money, roster bonuses, and contract history

overthecap.com

why would Gonzo accept that?
his salary is now guaranteed for 2026 and 27 for a total of about $21m
he could sign a new deal this morning for those two seasons for $65m. fully guaranteed
he could tear his achilles getting out of bed tonight and never be the same player.
he would be leaving $45m-ish on the table.

 

[Triumph]

why would Gonzo accept that?
his salary is now guaranteed for 2026 and 27 for a total of about $21m
he could sign a new deal this morning for those two seasons for $65m. fully guaranteed
he could tear his achilles getting out of bed tonight and never be the same player.
he would be leaving $45m-ish on the table.

What choice does he have when he is signed for 2 more seasons?

McDuffie played all 4 years of his rookie deal. Are you suggesting that Gonzo not honor his contract?

 

[rkarp1]

What choice does he have when he is signed for 2 more seasons?

McDuffie played all 4 years of his rookie deal. Are you suggesting that Gonzo not honor his contract?

choices:
1) he can honor his contract
2) he can extend his contract and turn the next 2 years money into a portion of a bonus
3) he can sit out for a better contract

 

[Triumph]

choices:
1) he can honor his contract
2) he can extend his contract and turn the next 2 years money into a portion of a bonus
3) he can sit out for a better contract

Like it or not, Gonzo is controlled by the Pats until 2027 expires. NE controls his rights and movement.

He can certainty refuse to play and hold out the same as Deon Branch did. NE can let him sit or trade him. If Gonzo sits 2026 never happened and he still has a 2 year contract.

 

[rochrist]

It wouldn't surprise me if Kraft did have a rule like that because while the team is valued at Billions that's not liquid cash in hand. Browns deal however doesn't qualify towards that IMO because it's just a normal deal where the 29 mil salary is all that's being paid and it gets broken up into 52 weekly checks so all part of the budget and easily handled in the yearly salary cap already put aside.

It's the massive NEW deals like Maye and Gonzo you are talking about where Kraft needs to put aside whatever the guaranteed number is into an Escrow account so coming up with say 120 million dollars on the spot is just a bit more challenging and not more often then once a year. Luckily there is no way in hell they aren't aware of what they are going to need to do for both of those players and assuming general competency are budgeting and planning accordingly for back to back years of major contracts.

You could easily be correct. The media guys I was watching had it the other way around but god knows, they aren't the sharpest collection of tools in the shed.

 

[n1997y]

A player can simply not sign a franchise tag and not show up until the very last time allowed by the CBA.

There is no reason to believe that Gonzo would simply accept playing under two franchise tags.

FAFO. Play hardball, expect the team to play hardball too.

 

[Rob0729]

Don't worry. Apparently the Pats will never see Gonzo's fifth year because apparently he is getting traded to the Eagles straight up for AJ Brown.

 

[JoeSixPat]

choices:
1) he can honor his contract
2) he can extend his contract and turn the next 2 years money into a portion of a bonus
3) he can sit out for a better contract

Extending Gonzo isn't needed right now - his cap hit is under $5 million for this season (@ $3 million salary/bonus - plus his prorated signing bonus) and he is now GUARANTEED $18 million for next season. I don't think he will sit that out this season OR next season to give that up to seek more.

Note that Sauce Gardner ONLY got a $14 million bonus when the Jets extended him - LESS than what Gonzo is getting in guaranteed money with this extension. NEXT season is when the team has an interest in extending him if they want to get that $18 million cap hit down and extend him - but that depends on how well he plays.

In the case of Sauce Gardiner, it seems like the Jets designed a contract extension that was meant to be traded - and even then, it's a contract that has a $0 dead cap "out" after 2028 to get the Colts out of having a $72 million cap hit for the last two years as part of the $120 million contract. If Gonzo wants something like that for bragging rights in his next contract, that's fine, because it's kindof fake money and fake years to stretch out the guaranteed money.

So the two situations have never been comparable to me, although I was very open to an extension that would keep his average salary/cap to @ $18 million like Gardners through 2028 as I think that's reasonable for a top CB.

Gardner was not going to play for $650,000 in 2025 and would be justified in sitting out, but you can't compare that to Gonzo getting $23 million guaranteed through 2027 - he's simply not going to sit out to protest getting that much guaranteed money.

Compare the two contracts:

Christian Gonzalez | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Christian Gonzalez signed a 4 year, $15,102,868 contract with the New England Patriots with an average annual salary of $3,775,717.

www.spotrac.com

Ahmad Gardner | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Ahmad Gardner signed a 4 year, $120,400,000 contract with the New York Jets with an average annual salary of $30,100,000.

www.spotrac.com

 

[ctpatsfan77]

It wouldn't surprise me if Kraft did have a rule like that because while the team is valued at Billions that's not liquid cash in hand. Browns deal however doesn't qualify towards that IMO because it's just a normal deal where the 29 mil salary is all that's being paid and it gets broken up into 52 weekly checks so all part of the budget and easily handled in the yearly salary cap already put aside.

It's the massive NEW deals like Maye and Gonzo you are talking about where Kraft needs to put aside whatever the guaranteed number is into an Escrow account so coming up with say 120 million dollars on the spot is just a bit more challenging and not more often then once a year. Luckily there is no way in hell they aren't aware of what they are going to need to do for both of those players and assuming general competency are budgeting and planning accordingly for back to back years of major contracts.

It's not clear that the NFL is enforcing that rule anymore: Browns decline comment on whether Deshaun Watson's escrow payment was made

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The Pats dont need to give Gonzo a new deal until 2027.

Basically, Gonzo does have guarantees beyond 2026 since his 2027 salary is guaranteed. All 18 mil which the Pats will likely role into his extension next off season unless they reach a deal in 2026. That 5th year option was the smartest deal ever. Trent McDuffie just signed with LAR to the tune of 31 mil per because KC didnt install a 5th year. Fortunately for KC they were picking high in the draft and it didnt cost that much to move up and get Delane.

They did pick up his option. The problem is all the other big contracts they gave out over the last few years.

 

[n1997y]

hmm
So, let's say no deal is struck.

You would trade Gonzo instead of having him for the 2027 season? Not me.

I would think that he would be allowed to try free agency AFTER playing for us in 2027.

Under THOSE circumstances, the team has lots of options including the franchise tag, tag and trade, and having Gonzo's agent contact teams so that we can get the best deal. There is even the possibility of the team coming up with a deal Gonzo would accept, after he sees what other teams will offer.

Depends. What’s the offer?

Team gets multiple bites at the apple. They just picked up his fifth year. That extends his contract through the 2027 season. They can then franchise tag him for the 2028 season, at a set price determined by the CBA formula. They can again tag him for the 2029 season, again at a formulaic set price albeit much higher. If they get a compelling trade offer at any time during the next four years they can deal him if it’s a big enough bundle.

Gonzo can pretty much know his pay for the next four years, if he stays healthy. He carries a lot of the injury risk to his future in that case. For two years he’s on his rookie deal, price controlled and relatively cheap. For two years he’s on the franchise tag, still price controlled but paid top dollar. Negotiating to extend his contract for the two years that he’ll be franchise tagged and years beyond allows him to transfer injury risk, but locks in his price. His tradeoff is maximizing salary while minimizing risk exposure. The latter motivates extending sooner, the former motivates delaying his extension.

 

[rkarp1]

They did pick up his option. The problem is all the other big contracts they gave out over the last few years.

thats where I am coming from.
the objective is to not squeeze Gonzo.
the objective is to manage the cap that Gonzo is happy, and the contract structure fits well with Maye, WIlliams, Doubs and perhaps Brown
the cap is best manipulated early

 

[rkarp1]

Extending Gonzo isn't needed right now - his cap hit is under $5 million for this season (@ $3 million salary/bonus - plus his prorated signing bonus) and he is now GUARANTEED $18 million for next season. I don't think he will sit that out this season OR next season to give that up to seek more.

Note that Sauce Gardner ONLY got a $14 million bonus when the Jets extended him - LESS than what Gonzo is getting in guaranteed money with this extension. NEXT season is when the team has an interest in extending him if they want to get that $18 million cap hit down and extend him - but that depends on how well he plays.

In the case of Sauce Gardiner, it seems like the Jets designed a contract extension that was meant to be traded - and even then, it's a contract that has a $0 dead cap "out" after 2028 to get the Colts out of having a $72 million cap hit for the last two years as part of the $120 million contract. If Gonzo wants something like that for bragging rights in his next contract, that's fine, because it's kindof fake money and fake years to stretch out the guaranteed money.

So the two situations have never been comparable to me, although I was very open to an extension that would keep his average salary/cap to @ $18 million like Gardners through 2028 as I think that's reasonable for a top CB.

Gardner was not going to play for $650,000 in 2025 and would be justified in sitting out, but you can't compare that to Gonzo getting $23 million guaranteed through 2027 - he's simply not going to sit out to protest getting that much guaranteed money.

Compare the two contracts:

Christian Gonzalez | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Christian Gonzalez signed a 4 year, $15,102,868 contract with the New England Patriots with an average annual salary of $3,775,717.

www.spotrac.com

Ahmad Gardner | NFL Contracts & Salaries | Spotrac.com

Ahmad Gardner signed a 4 year, $120,400,000 contract with the New York Jets with an average annual salary of $30,100,000.

www.spotrac.com

understood it is not needed right now
the intention is to structure his deal to accommodate other deals, including Maye
early is much, much better than late, when manipulating deals

 

[Triumph]

They did pick up his option.

Im aware of that.

That is why I stated that Gonzos 2027 salary is guaranteed.

The problem is all the other big contracts they gave out over the last few years.

Yes and No. As someone already pointed out.

AB Browns contract is forthcoming - approximately 30 mil guaranteed this year.

 

[JoeSixPat]

understood it is not needed right now
the intention is to structure his deal to accommodate other deals, including Maye
early is much, much better than late, when manipulating deals

Yes they absolutely need to be factoring that in

Which is why if anything by just adding the 5th year at $18 mil they've given him some security from injury - he'd likely have sat out non-mandatory camps and had another "hammy" issue but he'd have make sure he collected every penny

While they could get next year's $18 million down with an extension, if anything I'd say keep some front loaded while Maye is still on his rookie contract as the franchise tag for a QB will be $50 mil easy by then.

Maye is only 3% of the salary cap now while Dak Prescott is on a team friendly 15-18% percent now, but that will inflate to 24% by 2027

 

[maust]

Browns deal however doesn't qualify towards that IMO because it's just a normal deal where the 29 mil salary is all that's being paid and it gets broken up into 52 weekly checks so all part of the budget and easily handled in the yearly salary cap already put aside.

FWIW salary is broken up into 18 (they get paid during the bye) weekly 'game checks' not 52