​Injuries Make Christian Gonzalez’s Trade Price Intriguing for Patriots originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Christian Gonzalez has quickly developed into one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL for the New England Patriots.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIf Madden ratings are any indication, Gonzalez is set to be the highest-rated CB in football for the new game that comes out in August.But by almost any metric, Gonzalez is awesome. Well, except for one.Gonzalez has had a tough time staying on the field with the Pats, missing about a third of the games he could’ve played in through three years.And with that in mind, it’s intriguing to think about what a Gonzalez trade might look like.To be clear, there are no rumors about this. There’s just a new article from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell in which he writes that the Patriots could get two first-round picks if they traded Gonzalez.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt at least makes you think.”The Sauce Gardner trade pegged the going rate for elite young cornerbacks as two first-rounders,” Barnwell writes, referring to the trade that sent Gardner from the New York Jets to the Indianapolis Colts. “Gonzalez is an even better player than Gardner, combining outstanding man coverage ability with excellent tackling and better work against the run. The only weakness you could point to from Bill Belichick’s final first-round pick is health; Gonzalez has missed 17 games over his first three seasons with various injuries.”MORE: What would Drake Maye cost in a trade?Barnwell is right in that blurb, too, that the metrics show Gonzalez to be a better cornerback than Gardner. On paper, that might demand an even bigger cost.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA team would have to feel OK about Gonzalez’s health to pay up even more than Gardner, though.And besides, it doesn’t seem like the Pats are in a hurry to trade Gonzalez. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, though, and if the Patriots don’t feel great about his future health, maybe it’s something to legitimately consider.Latest Patriots newsTom Brady’s Patriots legacy: How legendary QB set new standardComplete history of Patriots championships