Patriots' Christian Gonzalez on contract negotiations: "I'll keep that between my team and the front office"

Star New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez spoke with reporters on Tuesday for the first time since team owner Robert Kraft publicly addressed the state of contract negotiations over the weekend.

"Everybody knows what Mr. Kraft has done. Ton of respect for Mr. Kraft and what he's done with this franchise. It's something we don't want to handle to the media. I kept that with the team and my team and go on about that," Gonzalez said Tuesday after practice. "Anything with that I want to keep that between my team, my agents, and the front office and let them deal with that."

Gonzalez has been a full participant at training camp, even though he has yet to resolve his contract situation. On Saturday during the first day of training camp, Kraft said the Patriots have offered to make Gonzalez the highest-paid cornerback in the league.

"We love Christian Gonzalez. We love him as a player, as a person," Kraft told reporters. "That's why we made an offer to him that makes him the highest-paid player ever to play that position in the NFL, and coincidentally the highest contract in the Patriots franchise history."

The star cornerback was asked Tuesday if he feels like he is close to reaching a deal.

"I hope. I hope so," Gonzalez said. 

Gonzalez was asked why he is on the field for training camp after skipping voluntary offseason sessions and seemingly being limited at mandatory minicamp.

"It's ball. I'm going to come out, play some ball and have fun. We had a tough ending of the year. That sits on everyone's mind all year. Just wanted to get on the field and do what I do," Gonzalez said.

There has been speculation among NFL analysts that Gonzalez is waiting for Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon to sign his extension first so he can then top it to become the league's highest-paid cornerback. The two stars share an agent as well.

Gonzalez said, "Spoon's my guy," noting that they work out together in the offseason. But he then returned to the line he said several times throughout his media session.

"I'll keep that between my team and the front office," Gonzalez said.      

A reporter asked Gonzalez if he plans to be out there when the team practices in full pads for the first time.

"I'll be out here," he said.