The New England Patriots will be without star cornerback Christian Gonzalez when they host the Raiders on Sunday, but according to at least one Boston media personality, the Patriots won’t be needing him to win the game.
In reference to Gonzalez expected absence (he wasn’t officially ruled out earlier in the week), Boston’s CLNS reporter Taylor Kyles said he believes the Raiders don’t have a wide receiver on the roster that merits the attention of an elite cornerback like Gonzalez.
“I’m not terribly worried about week one… I do not think the Raiders have a wide receiver who is necessarily someone who would warrant Christian Gonzalez attention,” Kyles said this week.
“Jakobi Meyers is a very good player, as we know, probably a top tier or up there in terms of wide receiver twos… Dont’e Thornton [is] a very talented rookie, but still a first-year player who’s very much in the developmental stage. And then Tre Tucker, who’s a fast receiver, but not exactly somebody that you’re game planning around.
“The only significant threat is Brock Bowers, as we know. I would love to see Christian Gonzalez covering Brock Bowers in some passing situations, because we know Brock Bowers has wide receiver skills in a smallish tight ends body. But at the same time, you don’t need Gonzo week one.”
For Jakobi Meyers, the disrespect out of Boston should mean a little more considering they were the team that decided not to re-sign him in 2023.
In fact, Meyers will have an opportunity on Sunday to make an impression on two teams that haven’t been enthusiastic about signing him. The Patriots were guilty of decision two years ago, and the decision makers in Las Vegas have not been in a hurry to re-sign him this year.
Despite outplaying the three-year, $33 million deal he signed in 2023, Meyers has given every indication that he plans to play out the final year of his contract.
“I asked [for a trade], they said ‘no.’ That’s where that stopped,” Meyers said this week with a laugh. “I’m going to keep doing my job until something shakes out either way. I don’t know which way it’s going to go, but I’ll be ready for whatever.”
Asked if he was confident a deal is going to get done, Meyers didn’t sound optimistic.
“I wouldn’t say I’m pretty confident. I really don’t know where it’s going to go,” Meyers said.” Like I said, I’m ready to go if you want me to go. I’m ready to play if you need me to play.”
x: @raidersbeat
I hate the Pats and their fans, massholes. If we lose to them it’s going to be a long year. At least KC could be 0-2 after next week.