{"id":258310,"date":"2026-08-17T18:03:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T18:03:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/17\/patriots-hc-mike-vrabel-makes-thoughts-known-on-christian-gonzalez-missing-practice-amid-contract-dispute\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T18:03:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T18:03:32","slug":"patriots-hc-mike-vrabel-makes-thoughts-known-on-christian-gonzalez-missing-practice-amid-contract-dispute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/17\/patriots-hc-mike-vrabel-makes-thoughts-known-on-christian-gonzalez-missing-practice-amid-contract-dispute\/","title":{"rendered":"Patriots HC Mike Vrabel makes thoughts known on Christian Gonzalez missing practice amid contract dispute"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content\" data-postid=\"5205842\" data-slug-id=\"2823792\">\n<div class=\"vidazoo-player-container\">\n<span class=\"vidazoo-close-btn  hidden \"><br \/>\n<img data-lazy=\"\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/cmc-predictor\/v2\/cross-icon.png?w=40\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"close\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Christian Gonzalez had high expectations for the offseason. After spending his whole life working through the various stages of his sports journey, he expected the 2026 offseason to reach a new level in terms of his compensation. However, Robert Kraft hasn&#8217;t offered him a deal that meets his expectations. As such, the cornerback has been skipping practice in protest.<\/p>\n<p>Mike Vrabel, who has gone viral for his opinions on how players need to act, spoke about the cornerback&#8217;s decision to skip practice. According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald in a Monday post on X, Vrabel hinted at expectations that the cornerback has been working independently &#8220;to try to improve.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><template id=\"template__newsletter-inline-banner-form-combo-widget\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<p><img id=\"subscribe-img\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\nThanks for the submission!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<p><template id=\"also-read-articles-template\"><\/p>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<p><template id=\"bets-today-poll\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"preview-card-holder bets-today-poll\">\n<p><span class=\"date\"\/> \u2022 <span class=\"time\"\/><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll continue to work through that, and he&#8217;ll continue to try to improve and try to get back out on the field,&#8221; he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"bottom-tagline top\" data-tab=\"top\">\n<p>Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/nfl\/nfl-playoff-predictor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\" class=\"bottom_tagline_link\" data-tab=\"top\">NFL Playoff Predictor<\/a> for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The statement either pulled back the curtain to reveal that Gonzalez was training and practicing on his own or pressured the cornerback to be doing so even if he was not practicing. Either way, with the season around the corner, the pressure is set to rise on both Kraft and Gonzalez to get a deal done.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/nfl\/news-nfl-fans-react-devon-witherspoon-lands-132-000-000-contract-extension-seahawks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">\u201cChristian Gonzalez gonna go crazy\u201d: NFL fans react as Devon Witherspoon lands $132,000,000 contract extension with Seahawks<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/nfl\/news-nfl-fans-react-christian-gonzalez-gets-highest-paid-cb-deal-robert-kraft\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">\u201cSounds like what happened between Jerry Jones and Micah Parsons\u201d: NFL fans react as Christian Gonzalez gets highest-paid CB deal from Robert Kraft<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>New breakout deal challenges Robert Kraft&#8217;s assessment of Christian Gonzalez offer<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sk-app-thumbnail\" alt=\"Super Bowl LX: New England Patriots v Seattle Seahawks - Source: Getty\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg\"\/><\/noscript><img class=\"lazy-img\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1279\" data-img=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg 1920w\" alt=\"Super Bowl LX: New England Patriots v Seattle Seahawks - Source: Getty\" data-img-low=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/08\/17d05-17869849298793-1920.jpg?w=640\" bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,&lt;svg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%201920%201279%22&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;\"\/><figcaption>Super Bowl LX: New England Patriots v Seattle Seahawks &#8211; Source: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Via a July 25 post on X from ESPN&#8217;s Mike Reiss, Robert Kraft assessed the offer he made to Christian Gonzalez to be &#8220;the highest paid player to ever play that position.&#8221; However, in the wake of Devon Witherspoon&#8217;s breakout $132 million deal, that claim may or may not still be accurate.<\/p>\n<p>Before Witherspoon&#8217;s deal, the next highest was Rams cornerback <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/nfl\/trent-mcduffie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">Trent McDuffie&#8217;s<\/a> $124 million deal. Based on Kraft&#8217;s assessment, the deal was worth at least $1 more than that amount. However, unless it was $8,000,001 more than that deal, Kraft&#8217;s assessment is already obsolete.<\/p>\n<p>As such, the offer might have aged poorly in just the month since it was placed on the table. It wasn&#8217;t enough before, and all signs point to it not being enough now. The next major question is whether Kraft will place his hands deeper in his pockets than he already has in response to Witherspoon&#8217;s new deal.<\/p>\n<p>The future of the Patriots backfield could depend on it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-post-rating-widget\">\n<p><template id=\"post-rating-feedback-modal-template\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-feedback-box\">\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-content\">\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-data\">\n<p>Why did you not like this content?<\/p>\n<p><textarea id=\"dislike-feedback-text\" rows=\"4\" placeholder=\"Please type your feedback...\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<button class=\"close\">Cancel<\/button><br \/>\n<button class=\"submit\">Submit<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-widget-parent hidden\">\n<div class=\"rating-parent-container\">\n<div class=\"rating-content-holder\">\n<p>Was this article helpful?<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-action-container\">\n<div class=\"like-container\">\n<button class=\"post-rating-like-button post-rating-button\" data-action=\"like\" title=\"like article\"><br \/>\n<img class=\"post-like-image post-rating-image\" data-lazy=\"\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/like-articles\/upvote-icon-grey.svg\" height=\"20\" width=\"20\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"like selected\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dislike-container\">\n<button class=\"post-rating-dislike-button post-rating-button\" data-action=\"dislike\" title=\"dislike article\"><br \/>\n<img class=\"post-dis-like-image post-rating-image\" data-lazy=\"\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/like-articles\/upvote-icon-grey.svg\" height=\"20\" width=\"20\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"avatar selected\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\nThank You for feedback\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tag-cloud\">\n<div class=\"tags-text\">\n<div class=\"scrollable-content-holder  article-padding\">\n<p class=\"article-p  \">Quick Links<\/p>\n<p><button id=\"pnAdvancerLeft\" class=\"pn-Advancer pn-Advancer_Left \" type=\"button\"><br \/>\n<img style=\"background: none;\" data-lazy=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/article\/article-scroll-left.svg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<nav id=\"pnProductNav\" class=\"pn-ProductNav\">\n<\/nav>\n<p><button id=\"pnAdvancerRight\" class=\"pn-Advancer pn-Advancer_Right \" type=\"button\"><br \/>\n<img style=\"background: none;\" data-lazy=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/article\/article-scroll-right.svg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<p>More from Sportskeeda<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<span class=\"publisher-name\">Edited by Ian Van Roy<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/nfl\/news-patriots-hc-mike-vrabel-makes-thoughts-known-christian-gonzalez-missing-practice-amid-contract-dispute\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Christian Gonzalez had high expectations for the offseason. After spending his whole life working through the various stages of his sports journey, he expected the 2026 offseason to reach a new level in terms of his compensation. However, Robert Kraft hasn&#8217;t offered him a deal that meets his expectations. As such, the cornerback has been [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":258311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6806],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-258310","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gossip"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=258310"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258310\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/258311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=258310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=258310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=258310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}