The New England Patriots have only held two training camp practices, but that is more than enough time for All-Pro safety Kevin Byard to make up his mind about Christian Gonzalez. "Christian, obviously, was here during minicamp, had his stuff going on, but these past couple of days, I've really been seeing why he's, in my opinion, the best corner in the league. He's making a lot of plays, being sneaky in coverage," Byard said after practice. Those are strong words coming from a three-time First-Team All-Pro safety. The proof is in the work and the production on the football field. Gonzalez was a lockdown corner throughout the 2025 season, but he took things to another level in the postseason. His masterpiece was helping the defensive backfield hold Seattle Seahawks' Offensive Player of the Year, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, to a shocking four catches for 27 yards at Super Bowl LX. Kevin Byard calls Christian Gonzalez the best cornerback in the NFL pic.twitter.com/NVVt6lmwF0 Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) July 26, 2026Gonzalez is currently seeking a contract extension, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft claimed that the team is looking to make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL and the highest-paid player in franchise history. For Kraft and the Patriots, it's a no-brainer at this point. Follow Patriots Wire onTwitterandFacebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: All-Pro's bold statement after two practices with Christian Gonzalez