Christian Gonzalez heard the noise this summer.
Throughout training camp, the New England Patriots cornerback seemed to be on the wrong side of plays more often than one would expect. It brought outside questions about the 2023 first-round pick’s ability to replicate the early stages of his rookie season when he won Rookie of the Month in September before suffering a season-ending injury.
In the season opener on Sunday, Gonzalez put those concerns to rest.
Matching up against a high-powered Cincinnati Bengals offense, Gonzalez drew the Ja’Marr Chase assignment. The second-year corner shadowed the premiere wide out for much of the afternoon, limiting him to just three catches for 15 yards in the process.