Rookie CB Christian Gonzalez Yet to Sign Contract; Patriots Worried?

As top NFL rookies are slow to sign contracts this Summer, New England Patriots' first-round pick Christian Gonzalez also remains without a deal with training camp looming.

The New England Patriots have several pressing questions in their secondary entering training camp: Who will replace Devin McCourty as the savvy captain? Will Jack Jones be on the field in the wake of his gun-related arrest last month? And ... when will Christian Gonzalez sign his contract?

The Pats have options such as Adrian Phillips and Jabrill Peppers to fill in for McCourty. They expect Jones - who doesn't have a court appearance until Aug. 18 - to report for camp July 25. And they're not too concerned about their first-round draft choice, who they believe will sign before putting on the pads in Foxboro.

Almost 15 years ago rookie contract negotiations were the Wild West, with players such as 2009 top overall pick Sam Bradford signing deals with $50 million guaranteed. Thanks to some common sense injected into a Collective Bargaining Agreement soon thereafter, rookie contracts are now essentially framed by the players' draft position.

Hence, not a lot of wiggle room in "negotiations." Not a lot of drama for potential holdouts. That said, Gonzalez isn't alone in not being signed.

Four of the top five players drafted in April have yet to sign, including top pick Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers. Only Houston Texans' edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. (third overall) has a contract.

We do know Gonzalez' range, being that two players around him have signed. Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive lineman Broderick Jones (14th) inked his deal for four years and $16.6 million with $9 million guaranteed, and Detroit Lions' linebacker Jack Campbell (18th) agreed to four years and $14.7 million with $7.7 guaranteed.

Gonzalez was the 17th overall pick, so he's in line for a deal of approximately four years and $15 million, with $8 million guaranteed.

New England second-round pick Keion White also remains unsigned. Gonzalez and White have the same agents, Reggie Johnson/Tory Dandy.

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