What does Stingley's huge contract extension mean for Gonzalez? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It’s a great time to be an elite NFL cornerback.
Contracts for the top players at this super important position seem to be going up at a steady pace, and the latest example came Monday when Houston Texans star Derek Stingley agreed to a three-year, $90 million extension, including $89 million guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The $30 million base salary makes Stingley the highest-paid defensive back in league history.
Will someone pass him over the next year or so? Christian Gonzalez might have a shot.
The New England Patriots cornerback had a stellar Year 2 in 2024, earning a spot on the AP All-Pro second team after tallying 59 total tackles with two interceptions, one fumble recovery and 11 pass breakups in 16 games. After an injury limited him to just four games as a rookie, Gonzalez played in all but one game last season.
The 22-year-old cornerback played well against many of the sport’s top wide receivers last year, including Ja’Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill and Garrett Wilson. Hill had lots of praise for Gonzalez after a Week 5 matchup in Foxboro.
Gonzalez is eligible for an extension beginning next offseason, and if he has another All-Pro caliber campaign, he could cash in with a massive contract.
If you look at the recent contracts for top-tier cornerbacks, the trend is clearly going up:
The cornerback market has been reset twice in just over a week.
Jaycee Horn inked a four-year extension last Monday. Now Derek Stingley receives his own big deal — which includes $63.5 million in new guarantees. pic.twitter.com/q2UP2jbFPi
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 17, 2025
Gonzalez isn’t as good as Stingley, at least not right now. The LSU product received Pro Football Focus’ fifth-highest grade for a cornerback last season, including the second-highest coverage grade at the position. Gonzalez ranked 13th among cornerbacks in PFF’s 2024 grades.
If Gonzalez continues to show he’s worthy of superstar money, it would be wise for the Patriots to work out an extension sooner rather than later. Waiting can have severe consequences.
Just look at the Cincinnati Bengals. They failed to work out extensions with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins soon after both were eligible. And as a result, waiting ended up costing the Bengals a lot of money.
Chase has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $161 million contract, FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported Sunday. That deal makes Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history. Higgins agreed to a four-year, $115 million deal, per Schultz. Cincinnati will pay its top two wideouts around $70 million per season combined, which is obviously a lot, especially for a team that needs serious upgrades on defense.
The good news for the Patriots is Gonzalez should have all the motivation he could possibly need to put together a fantastic Year 3. The cornerback market has been rising at a furious rate, and the 2023 first-round pick could be among the next players to benefit.
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