(Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots aren’t expected to have a big year as the franchise is in the midst of a full rebuild and has its sights set on the future with a new coaching staff at the helm and plenty of young talent sprinkled throughout the roster.
Even if the Pats aren’t set up to rack up a ton of wins this year, they have some big pieces that they need to see improvement from this year, and the team reportedly believes one key player is ready to make a leap and establish himself as a star.
Albert Breer of NBC Sports said the Pats think second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez is “set up for a really big year” after talking to a handful of people inside the organization, adding “They’ve tried to challenge him in different ways in camp and develop him as a No. 1 corner.”
.@AlbertBreer: Patriots think Christian Gonzalez is “set up for a really big year” pic.twitter.com/uCZkQFXWbY
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) August 23, 2024
Breer added that a few people mentioned to him that he is a smooth mover who is so athletically gifted that it makes everything he does look easy.
Gonzalez was impressive last season and won Rookie of the Month for September, but he only played four games before suffering a dislocated shoulder and a torn labrum that sidelined him for the rest of the season.
In those four games, he posted 17 tackles, a sack, and an interception.
The 2023 No. 17 overall pick is set to be this team’s No. 1 corner right out of the gate and will be responsible for anchoring a secondary that is returning all four starters from last season.
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