The Patriots picked up cornerback Christian Gonzalez in the first round of this year’s draft and the team’s plans for him this fall were a topic of conversation for head coach Bill Belichick recently.
During an interview with former Jets and Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum for The 33rd Team, Belichick was asked where he sees Gonzalez fitting into the team’s defense during his rookie season. Belichick said that the team’s plan for all rookies in the spring is to “let them learn how to be a professional football player” before working on specifics about scheme fit over the summer.
In Gonzalez’s case, Belichick said he sees him as an outside corner but added that other roles could be part of his portfolio.
“We’ll work him into a number of positions like we do almost all players at this point in time in the spring, and then narrow it down a little bit when we get to training camp,” Belichick said. “Ultimately, he’s most likely going to be a perimeter corner, but I think there are other situations where he could play inside or in a deeper part of the field, depending on what the call is or how things present themselves from a game-plan structure from time-to-time.”
Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Miles Bryant, sixth-round pick Ameer Speed, and seventh-round pick Isaiah Bolden will also be in the mix at corner, but Gonzalez’s draft position suggests he’ll find his way onto the field in one spot or another this fall.
