New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez missed practice for the first time this summer on Tuesday, a development that has fueled speculation as contract negotiations between the player and the team remain unresolved. The timing of his absence coincided with a cryptic post on his Instagram account.
Gonzalez shared lyrics from rapper Gunna's song "Time Reveals, Be Careful What You Wish For," which read, "Should have been done by now, but you didn’t know how to handle the feeling." The post has led to questions about its connection to his ongoing contract discussions.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft stated last month that the team had offered Gonzalez "the highest contract in Patriots franchise history" that would position him as the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. Currently, the highest annual salary for a defensive tackle in the franchise belongs to Milton Williams at $24 million, while Trent McDuffie of the Rams holds the distinction of the highest-paid cornerback in the league at $31 million annually.
Gonzalez, who was selected 17th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, is entering his fourth season. He is currently under a rookie contract with two years remaining, earning a base salary of $2.259 million for the current season. He declined to comment in July on whether Kraft's remarks about the contract offer had affected him, stating, "Everyone knows what Mr. Kraft has done. A ton of respect for Mr. Kraft and what he’s done for this franchise. It’s just something we don’t want to handle in the media. I keep that with the team and my team, and go about that."
Regardless of the contract status, the Patriots are scheduled to begin their season on September 9th in Seattle.