FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Gonzalez contract: In one respect, what is unfolding between the Patriots and cornerback Christian Gonzalez is the type of "issue" most teams would welcome.
"The Patriots deserve a ton of credit," said Mike Tannenbaum, the two-time former NFL general manager who now serves as an ESPN front office expert. "Christian Gonzalez is obviously a great man-to-man corner who has rare length and athleticism. He's one of those players you want to build the team around."
New England selected Gonzalez in the first round of the 2023 draft (No. 17 overall), a parting gift of sorts from coach Bill Belichick in the final season of his 24-year tenure. Gonzalez has developed into one of the NFL's best at his position, as evidenced most recently by his exemplary play in Super Bowl LX.
And now comes the challenging part.
The Patriots hold their first training camp practice July 25, and it's hard to imagine Gonzalez participating full throttle under his current contract, which calls for him to earn $2.259 million this season. Top cornerbacks make more than $30 million per year, and Gonzalez is eligible for an extension for the first time.
Former Patriots cornerback Ty Law, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who sparred with the franchise at the negotiating table during his playing career, shared a personal story relating to what could unfold July 25 if things remain status quo.
"One play in the NFL, it changes the whole dynamic. I've been in that situation and practicing, and Lawyer [Milloy], the way he played with reckless abandon, we're going across the middle and collided and I really thought I tore my knee up," he said.
"I got up and was like, 'Oh, s--- That was scary.' It put it in perspective for me. My knee ended up being OK, but that was always in the back of my mind -- the whole negotiation could have gone down the drain right there."
Law ultimately signed a six-year, $50 million deal with $14.2 million guaranteed in August 1999 -- his first big payday after the Patriots selected him in the first round of the 1995 draft.
During Law's career (1995-2009), holdouts were more common with players not reporting for training camp. But changes to the collective bargaining agreement with more significant fines and the loss of an accrued season toward free agency have made those rare, as players are now more likely to "hold in" by reporting yet not practicing.