AJ Brown Praises Patriots' Corner in Eagles Joint Practice

Before his season-ending injury last year, Christian Gonzalez looked the part as an up-and-coming cornerback in the NFL for the New England Patriots.

As he prepares for his sophomore season finally healthy, the Oregon product is already turning heads in joint practice work against some of the best receivers in the game.

During joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles, Gonzalez held his own against the likes of DeVonta Smith and All-Pro A.J. Brown.

"He's a great player," Brown said of Gonzalez. "I had picked him coming out two years ago as the best DB in the (2023) draft. He's a great player. He gave me good work today."

In his first three games of his NFL career, Gonzalez was targeted 27 times, the second most for any defender in the NFL through three contests, per Next Gen Stats.

The rookie held his own then and appears to be doing so again against Brown and the Eagles.

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While Brown might not play in the preseason contest on Thursday, how the Eagles look against good defenses will be key to determining how far they go during the 2024 season.

In joint work against a good unit in New England, it's safe to assume the Eagles offense will be fine for the new year - and that includes the Patriots' sophomore cornerback.