The New England Patriots defense didn’t look like the Patriots defense that fans had grown accustomed to seeing over the last two decades. New England was tied for the seventh-most touchdown passes given up in 2024 (27) and they had the second-fewest takeaways (12).
The Patriots clearly realized the issues on the defensive side of the ball and went on a spending spree this free agency period. Entering the offseason with by far the most cap space in the league, the Patriots added star defensive tackle Milton Williams, edge rusher Harold Landry, and cornerback Carlton Davis. And while Williams and Davis were given massive deals, a star defensive back is labeled as underpaid.
Bleacher Report NFL analyst Brad Gagnon revealed who he believes to be the most underpaid player for each team, and he labeled New England cornerback Christian Gonzalez as the Patriots’ most under-compensated player.
“The 2023 first-round pick was a second-team All-Pro at the tender age of 22 in 2024,” Gagnon writes. “But under his rookie deal he’s still just the 45th-highest-paid cornerback in the league in terms of average annual value (AAV).”
Gonzalez is already one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, and yet also one of the most underrated. A lot of that could have to do with the fact that he has another more heralded star in his own division in Sauce Gardner. Regardless, Gonzalez has proven himself to be elite in his own right. After appearing in just four games as a rookie due to a season-ending injury, Gonzalez picked off two passes and allowed a passer rating of just 70.5 when targeted, per PFF. His performance earned him Second-Team All-Pro honors, and he was fifth in NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting.
Obviously, Gonzalez is on his rookie deal, so a big pay day can’t come his way quite yet, but a hefty extension can be expected sooner than later for No. 0.
