The Patriots and Seahawks will open the 2026 season next Wednesday.
At this point, it’s still unclear whether or not cornerback Christian Gonzalez will be on the field for the contest.
While the Patriots and Gonzalez have been locked in a contract dispute, head coach Mike Vrabel said on Friday that he doesn’t feel like the situation has been a distraction.
“No. When Christian was rehabbing, he was where he was supposed to be when he was supposed to be there. Talked about his professionalism. I can’t speak for the rest of the team and how they feel,” Vrabel said in his weekly interview with WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show. “From a coaching staff standpoint, it’s this: who is available each day, and we go about making a practice plan, or this is what the reps are going to be this day. We deal with all different kinds of things each and every day about who is available and who is not available. So I can only speak for myself, and it hasn’t been a distraction. I try to coach everybody that is here each and every day.”
Vrabel said the Patriots will be ready whether or not Gonzalez plays.
“We’ll have multiple game plans based on what the down and distance is, what personnel they are in, how the game may unfold,” Vrabel said. “We have to be flexible and be willing and ready to adjust. That’ll never change.”
For his part, Gonzalez told reporters on Thursday that he’s “still frustrated” by the situation and did not commit to playing in the season opener.
“I mean, when that time comes, that’s when things will happen,” Gonzalez said, via Karen Guregian of MassLive.com, noting that there are still several days for the two sides to come to an agreement. “We’ll save that [answer] for when it’s game time.”
The No. 17 overall pick of the 2023 draft, Gonzalez has recorded 24 passes defensed and three interceptions in 34 games over his first three seasons.