After missing all but four games in his rookie season, Christian Gonzalez has plenty of work ahead of him.
The former Patriots first-round pick hits the field for Year 2 with plenty of expectation, plus the added pressure of needing to deliver after being unable to do so in 2023. He took a step in the right direction in Tuesday's joint practice with the Eagles, earning praise from Philadelphia's top receiver.
“He’s a great player,” A.J. Brown said, via Pro Football Network. “I had picked him coming out two years ago as the best DB in the (2023) draft. He’s a great player. He gave me good work today.”
Gonzalez was the third corner selected in the 2023 draft, behind Illinois' Devon Witherspoon (fifth overall to Seattle) and Mississippi State's Emmanuel Forbes (16th to Washington), and arrived in New England with plenty of hype. He was projected to start opposite Jonathan Jones and become a stalwart cover corner in Bill Belichick's defense, but a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum ended his season after just four games.
Opposing offenses tested him plenty, targeting Gonzalez 27 times in his first three games, the second most for any defender in the NFL through three contests, per Next Gen Stats. He held his own, too, limiting the likes of Jets receiver Garrett Wilson (three catches, 18 yards on five targets) and Dolphins star Tyreek Hill (one catch, eight yards, one interception on four targets), while allowing six catches for 77 yards against Brown in Gonzalez's NFL debut.
After one game and one practice spent sharing the field, Brown's review remains positive. Now, it's up to Gonzalez to prove he's past last year's season-ending shoulder injury is behind him in order to resume his journey as a key part of New England's future.