DALLAS — CBS Sports listed the Dallas Cowboys among five potential trade destinations for New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez in a story published Friday by Carter Bahns and Zachary Pereles. The Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers filled out the list.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft said at the start of training camp that New England had offered Gonzalez a contract that would make him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. On Aug. 15, the Seattle Seahawks reset that market, agreeing with cornerback Devon Witherspoon on a four-year, $132 million extension that includes more than $101 million guaranteed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. The deal averages $33 million a year.
Schefter said Witherspoon and Gonzalez are represented by the same agent, which gives that agent a read on the market that neither team has.
“I don’t think that at any one point here that they have been close to a deal,” Schefter said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez have the same agent, so in a way, he can kind of dictate how this is going to go and see into the future in a better way than each of the two teams can.”
“Witherspoon was going to get done first, and it got done at an average of $33 million a year,” Schefter continued. “The Patriots have not been in that category. Witherspoon has established the benchmark, and the Patriots haven’t gone there. They weren’t there before, and they don’t appear to be going there right now.”
New England picked up Gonzalez’s fifth-year option for 2027. He has not held in during training camp or sat out regular-season games, according to CBS Sports.
Gonzalez grew up in Carrollton and played at The Colony High School before college stops at Colorado and Oregon. New England drafted him 17th overall in 2023, one pick after Washington took Emmanuel Forbes. In 2025, Gonzalez played 14 games and finished with 69 tackles, 10 passes defensed, and no interceptions. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2024 and made his first Pro Bowl last season. He turned 24 on June 28.
Jerry Jones On Spending Future Capital
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones opened training camp in Oxnard, California, on July 28 by saying he would be very interested in giving up the future to substitute where Dallas is today, and that he had spoken with another owner within the previous 24 hours.
“A top pick is expendable this year for me to add to somebody that meaningfully would help us now,” Jones said, via DallasCowboys.com. “And we would have the right kind of spot on our team for it. So I’m not just looking for a player. We’re looking for somebody that can add to the mix here.”
Over the past 12 months, Dallas traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. On Nov. 4, 2025, the Cowboys sent a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith to the New York Jets for Quinnen Williams. Williams signed a three-year, $105.9 million extension this month.
In April, Dallas moved from No. 12 to No. 11 in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, sending picks Nos. 12, 177, and 180 to Miami, and drafted Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
What The Dallas Cowboys Have Done In The Secondary
Dallas signed Jalen Thompson in March to a three-year, $33 million contract, the team’s largest free-agent deal in more than a decade. Cobie Durant signed the same month after four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. Downs has been working with both since the spring.
Dallas allowed a league-high 251.5 passing yards per game last season and ranked 32nd against the pass. The defense gave up 35 passing touchdowns and 30.1 points per game, also last in the league. The Cowboys finished 7-9-1, missed the playoffs for a second straight year, fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, and hired Christian Parker.
Rosters across the NFL must be down to 53 players by 5 p.m. CT Sunday. Dallas opens the regular season against the Giants.
