Sources: Christian Gonzalez, Patriots reach 4-year, $135M deal - ESPN

The New England Patriots and star cornerback Christian Gonzalez agreed to terms on a record-setting four-year, $135 million extension, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler late Monday night.

The deal includes $102 million guaranteed, sources said.

Gonzalez is now the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, eclipsing the four-year, $132 million extension that Devon Witherspoon received from the Seattle Seahawks last month. Witherspoon's deal included more than $101 million in guaranteed money. Both players share the same agent, Reggie Johnson.

«THANK YOU LORD! PATS NATION LETS GO,» Gonzalez posted on his Instagram story.

Gonzalez's deal, which was completed less than 48 hours before Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Seahawks in a Super Bowl LX rematch, answers what had been the biggest question facing the Patriots.

Gonzalez, the No. 17 pick in the 2023 NFL draft who has been an All-Pro and Pro Bowl cornerback, was eligible for an extension for the first time this offseason.

He had been a full participant in training camp until he suffered a lower leg injury Aug. 10 after practicing one-on-one with receiver A.J. Brown. Gonzalez returned to practice Aug. 24 and made the trip to Seattle for Wednesday's game. Talks intensified Monday night before the agreement was reached.

The status of the contract talks had lingered for months, with Gonzalez expressing frustration Aug. 25 that the situation remained unresolved.

At the start of training camp, owner Robert Kraft said the team had offered Gonzalez a deal that would make him the NFL's highest-paid cornerback, although Gonzalez later said there are different ways to measure that.

Gonzalez didn't attend the majority of the Patriots' voluntary offseason program, and in