Christian Gonzalez Getting Meaningful Reps Against Top Patriots Receiver

FOXBORO, Mass. — As the intensity of Patriots training camp has ramped up, so, too, have the reps between Christian Gonzalez and DeVante Parker.

The rookie cornerback and veteran receiver frequently lined up against each other in the last four practices, including Thursday’s full-pads session. Parker, New England’s most physical wideout, saw plenty of success, beating Gonzalez cleanly in 1-on-1 drills on Wednesday and hauling in two grabs in team periods on Thursday. But Gonzalez held his own, too, using his length and athleticism on multiple coverage wins against Parker.

The back-and-forths help both players, but especially Gonzalez, who could benefit from adding some physicality to his game.

“Great work,” Gonzalez said Thursday when asked about going against Parker. “All the receivers, every single receiver. It’s just, I’m able to go against the best. You want to go against the best to succeed. So, being able to use them and learn from them, and then talk to them and see how they see things from their perspective (helps) me as a corner.”

So far, Parker likes what he’s seen from the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

“It’s going real good,” he said. “He’s very patient. Very patient. I like his skill set. He’s gonna be a great player.”

If the Patriots are going to be competitive this season, they need Gonzalez to play like a starting-caliber corner and for Parker to stay on the field and produce. Both players have the ability to be among the top performers on the roster.

The reps they’ve seen each other in camp should go a long way toward accomplishing those goals — and also have been a ton of fun to watch.