FOXBORO -- The Patriots should have their No. 1 cornerback back on the field in short order.
Christian Gonzalez's impressive rookie season was cut short due to a shoulder injury, but he told reporters on Tuesday that he's "healthy" now.
"That's in the past," he said. "I'm ready for right now."
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The Patriots will need him. Under new head coach Jerod Mayo and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington -- two Bill Belichick pupils -- the bones of the team's defensive structure shouldn't be all that different than it's been in years past. That means a lot of man-to-man coverage in the secondary, relying on the coverage skills of Gonzalez and others to thwart opposing passing games on a weekly basis.
Gonzalez was Pro Football Focus' No. 9 cornerback through four weeks of last season before he was injured in a loss to the Cowboys. He picked off a pass against the Dolphins and had a quarterback rating of 58.5 when targeted -- seventh among qualifiers in that span.
Not bad for a rookie who had the difficult task of tracking wideouts like A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, Garrett Wilson and CeeDee Lamb as he got his feet wet in professional football.
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Gonzalez said he relishes the opportunity to continue to get those types of assignments in his second season. He'll do whatever is asked of him, but he went on to say, "Obviously, I want that matchup. I think any corner wants that matchup."
Gonzalez indicated that he is still rehabbing his shoulder injury as he preps for Year 2. He would not answer directly when asked if he was prepared to be a full participant in spring practices. He also would not divulge whether or not he was 100 percent healthy.
But it sounds as though he's healthy enough to provide the Patriots with a sense of optimism that their first-round pick from a year ago -- who will turn 22 next month -- will be back on the field when the snaps matter.