The New England Patriots’ rising star rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez is reportedly likely to miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Per Rapoport, Gonzalez suffered a torn labrum from the dislocated shoulder injury he had in the Week 4 game against the Dallas Cowboys. He is expected to undergo surgery for the injury soon, which will keep him sidelined for the rest of 2023.
This news sheds even more light on the reasoning behind the Patriots’ shocking trade with the Los Angeles Chargers to bring back former All-Pro corner J.C. Jackson on Wednesday.
The trade for JC Jackson was necessary because… #Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez, who would have been a candidate for defensive rookie of the year, is likely to miss the rest of the 2023 season with a torn labrum from a dislocated shoulder on Sunday, sources say. Surgery soon. pic.twitter.com/97usulsG6N
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 4, 2023
It’s a devastating end to a spectacular start from Gonzalez, who won honors for Defensive Rookie of the Month in September. He looked like a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate and a lockdown corner for the Patriots.
Now, he’ll undergo an arduous rehab process, while the injury-ridden Patriots do everything they can to fill the massive hole his absence leaves in the defensive backfield.
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