Hour 3 - Not Gonzo Yet

The New England Patriots made Christian Gonzalez the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history, the Atlanta Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa their Week 1 starter while refusing to commit beyond that, and the New York Giants cut veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton days before the season opener. Those three developments anchor the hour, with Ben Maller offering sharp reactions to each.

The Gonzalez Gamble

The Patriots signed cornerback Christian Gonzalez to a four-year, $135 million extension that includes $102 million guaranteed. The deal averages $33.7 million per season, edging out Seattle's Devon Witherspoon by exactly $1 million annually. Maller called it an overpay, arguing that Gonzalez is not the NFL's top defensive back despite the contract that now says otherwise. "Are the Patriots paying Gonzalez for what he's already accomplished, or are they paying him for what he's going to do over the course of the contract?" Maller asked. He conceded that the price is simply the cost of doing business for an elite young defensive back in a league awash in television money. "They've got Mexican cartel drug money," he said. "They're burying it in the backyard."

Tagovailoa's One-Week Lease