Despite a shoulder injury limiting him to only four games as a rookie, expectations were sky-high for Christian Gonzalez entering his second NFL training camp. But while the former first-round draft pick has not necessarily disappointed, he also hasn’t consistently displayed the shutdown cornerback potential he showcased at times during his rookie campaign.
He has competed generally well in team drills but also lost his fair share of 1-on-1s leading into the New England Patriots’ joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday.
His matchup with Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown therefore was a litmus test of sorts to see whether there was any reason to start to worry about Gonzalez’s development heading into Year 2.