Lost in the confetti that fell on Sunday evening at Levi's Stadium was Christian Gonzalez's performance on the sport's biggest stage.
It might soon become the strongest piece of evidence in his case for a lucrative, long-term deal. Entering his window of eligibility to receive an extension from the team that made him a first-round pick three years ago, the New England Patriots cornerback expressed a firm desire to remain in Foxborough on Tuesday.
"Oh, yeah, no doubt," Gonzalez said as Patriots players cleaned out their lockers, via the Boston Herald. "This is where I got drafted, and I don't want to be anywhere else."
Although the feeling is mutual, such deals aren't as simple as slapping a predetermined number on a contract and sliding it across a well-lacquered table for a player to sign. Recent deals influence these processes, and Gonzalez will soon stand as an initial example of how a newly arrived contender must battle annual salary cap challenges in order to remain in the upper tier of the NFL.
Gonzalez should expect to fetch a contract in the range of the NFL's current top two deals for cornerbacks -- Indianapolis' Sauce Gardner and Houston's Derek Stingley Jr. -- meaning he'll make an average of roughly $30.5 million (or more) per year. It's a hefty number, but also the outcome most teams aspire to realize when spending a first-round pick on a player.
More importantly, it's a crucial part of remaining competitive. Consider Super Bowl LX, a game in which the Patriots' defense -- a unit pieced together with blue-chip youngsters like Gonzalez, but also largely dependent on short-term veterans like Robert Spillane, K'Lavon Chaisson and more -- delivered a championship-worthy performance.
Some of the key contributors aren't long for New England. Needy teams will poach talent (i.e., Chaisson) with lucrative deals the Patriots aren't willing or are unable to offer. Gonzalez, however, is a key part of New England's future. His performance in Super Bowl LX underscores his importance, leading the Patriots with three pass deflections (including two that prevented likely touchdowns), forcing two tight-window targets and limiting Offensive Player of the Year winner Jaxon Smith-Njigba to one catch in 14 matchups.
"I'm not really trying to get into all of that. I mean, it's kind of more my agents, they'll deal with that and keep me up to speed on it," Gonzalez said. "Coming in today, I just wanted to see the guys, hang out with them a couple more times. I mean, it's the last time this full team, coaching staff will be in the building. So, (I) focus on that.
"My agents and (Mike Vrabel) and all, they'll talk."
NFL players arrive at the end of every season with a mutual understanding that their future teams will never be exactly the same. It's simply part of the business. But New England has successfully identified which players fill essential roles and around whom they should build moving forward.
Rookie safety Craig Woodson -- who, like Gonzalez, played a crucial role in Super Bowl LX -- is one of them. Gonzalez is clearly another. The time will soon arrive for the Patriots to act accordingly.
"I'm so happy for him, so proud of him," veteran corner Carlton Davis said, also via the Boston Herald. "He's such a great kid outside of football, which is more important. It shows on the field. You can see it game in and game out. Super proud of him. One of the best corners in the league right now. And he deserves his payday for sure."
