The New England Patriots are hoping a healthy season from Christian Gonzalez will translate to a Pro Bowl selection. The promise is there. And even with the outside noise and notable departures from the organization, the defense, and secondary in particular, look to be a strong suit of this year’s team.
However, an important unknown remains with the former Oregon Ducks player. Many will see the season-ending injury from the previous campaign as a one-off. Unfortunately, this opens the door for two important aspects to consider when evaluating him. Firstly, the ability to stay healthy and to avoid an injury bug is essential.
A remaining aspect is equally crucial to see. When healthy, fans will monitor if he’s able to sustain his excellent level of play throughout the entirety of the regular season. Some players are able to show flashes. Moreover, others can only play well in spurts. Luckily for the second-year pro, he’s receiving something of a heavy endorsement from one of the league’s best. After a joint practice, Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown took the time to offer his evaluation of the CB with reporters.
As shown by Patriots on CLNS Media on X, the wide receiver has been a fan of Gonzalez for a while:
He’s a great player, man. I had picked him coming out… as the best DB in the draft. He’s a great player; he’s a great worker. He gave me good work today.
Unfortunately, in today’s climate, elevating one often means devaluing or putting down someone else. But in this case, Brown’s words aren’t meant as a slight toward anyone else. Instead, he made it a point to discuss how talented the star-in-the-making is. Furthermore, he’s showing an initial feeling and projection of how Gonzalez. The quote also lets everyone know that he respects the level of competition.
This also further shows an appreciation for the workout and test that the young defender provided. His words are more than empty playerspeak. Great athletes strive to get better and have an iron-sharpen-iron mentality. Although the offense often wins, the level of difficulty can be different from matchup to matchup.
The combined practices were no different in this regard. Anyone would have a hard time covering someone with the ability of the Eagles’ pass catcher, particularly one-on-one without help over the top. So, of course, released footage showed Brown winning a lot of individual battles. But what onlookers can learn is that the level of play from Gonzalez did offer something of a challenge. Receptions were made, but a lot of easy looks were shut down. Also, based on what was shared, the offensive player had to dig into his bag of tricks a little deeper than he may have initially thought he would have to.
Good day’s work for Christian Gonzalez
This is part of what’s great about having two teams work against each other in a competitive environment. The NFL preseason games serve a purpose, certainly. But at this point, individual drills are what allow players to develop. Particularly for the outside positions, these sessions separate pretenders fairly quickly.
The element of a given practice design is unknown. Outsiders are in the dark about the specifics. Regardless, many hope to learn something and gain in-depth knowledge. But the players and coaches know what a drill is supposed to emphasize and who has the advantage on any given rep.
This is partly why it can be shortsighted to take too much from anything that happens in August. But as mentioned, those directly involved know. And while Brown may have won individual battles, his respect and admiration for Christian Gonzalez’s game grew. So much so that he made it a point to publicly share.
