The New England Patriots are one of the hottest up-and-coming teams in the NFL right now.

While all eyes are on the play of second-year quarterback Drake Maye, on the defensive side of the ball, Christian Gonzalez has been earning his fair share of praise as well.

After earning All-Pro Second Team honors in 2024, Gonzalez has suited up for New England’s past six games after missing the start of the season with a hamstring injury.

During that time, the Pats have not lost a game, rattling off six straight wins to push their record to 7-2.

In only his third season in the league, it’s clear that Gonzalez is one of the top cornerbacks in the league. A big new contract will come his way in the near future, and he was recently predicted to earn a four-year, $140 million extension over the upcoming offseason.

“New England Patriots star cornerback Christian Gonzalez is projected to sign a four-year, 140 MILLION DOLLAR deal this offseason,” MLFootball wrote in a post on X. “This is an average annual value of $35 million: Gonzo is an All-Pro at 23 years old, and this would make him the highest-paid CB ever.”

The Patriots are obviously going to exercise the fifth-year option in Gonzalez’s rookie deal, so they still have time to sort out the talented corner’s contract situation. However, this offseason feels like it could be the perfect time for both sides to head to the negotiating table.

This is a situation that can be dealt with in the future, though. For now, Gonzalez and the Pats are focused on putting together a game plan that will help them earn their seventh-straight win when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.