The New England Patriots are on the doorstep of a pivotal NFL Draft within the coming weeks the place they maintain the third total choose. The franchise will hope to hold the momentum of the success it had a yr in the past, notably within the first spherical the place it chosen Christian Gonzalez, who’ll look a bit totally different as he heads into his sophomore marketing campaign. 

New England introduced on social media Tuesday that the promising younger nook will now don No. 0, switching from No. 6 that he wore throughout his rookie season. 

This marks the primary time in crew historical past a participant will put on No. 0 after the NFL first accredited the proposal to incorporate the quantity final offseason. On condition that Gonzalez wore No. 0 whereas he was at Oregon, there was some marvel if he’d carry it over into the professionals. At coaching camp, Gonzalez wore No. 50, which was customary for first-round rookies beneath former head coach Invoice Belichick in current seasons. As soon as the crew handed out its precise rookie numbers, nevertheless, it was a bit stunning to see Gonzalez slotted with No. 6 contemplating his hyperlink to No. 0 throughout his collegiate profession, however he is now going again to his roots with this newest swap. 

No matter his quantity, Gonzalez did flash in his restricted motion in 2023. In 4 video games (all begins), he posted three go breakups, an interception, a sack and had 17 tackles. Nonetheless, Gonzalez’s season was lower brief as a consequence of a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder within the membership’s October matchup in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys. 

As he returns to full kind, New England’s secondary will lean on Gonzalez to proceed his growth into what seemed to be the makings of a top-flight nook.