New England Patriots News & Rumors

1:47pm: Pushing back on these reports, Judon has denied (via his X account) the Patriots have extended him an offer. While this could boil down to the difference between a 2024-only adjustment and a true extension, Judon remains at odds with the team ahead of his fourth season in New England.

12:19pm: Matt Judon‘s Patriots situation has shifted considerably since training camp began. Not going through with a full-on hold-in at camp’s outset, the team’s top edge rusher moved in that direction and then missed Tuesday’s practice.

This process has included an on-field conversation with Eliot Wolf and fellow exec Matt Groh. Judon indeed missed Tuesday’s Patriots practice because he seeks a contract update, according to The Athletic’s Dianni Russini. The Patriots have since made an offer, potentially helping smooth things over with one of the few key players the team has not paid this offseason.

The Pats offered “a few” revised contracts before training camp, Russini adds. It would appear the team has not yet proposed a lucrative extension, making Judon an outlier this year. Russini notes the offers would have reworked Judon’s deal.

The former free agent signee has admitted to being envious as the Pats have swerved toward paying their own lucrative contracts under Wolf. The team has retained Christian Barmore, Michael Onwenu, Kyle Dugger, Rhamondre Stevenson and Hunter Henry on pricey contracts. They also paid Jabrill Peppers this week. This run of big-ticket deals veers from the Bill Belichick path, and the moves have prompted some who have not been paid — namely Judon and Davon Godchaux — to take action. Godchaux, who joins Judon in a contract year, is staging a partial hold-in.

Belichick resolved the Judon matter with a reworking last summer. The Pats gave the former Ravens OLB draftee a $3MM pay bump and an incentive package, though the biceps injury Judon sustained early last season prevented him from triggering any of those escalators. Set to turn 32 next month and coming off a major injury, Judon is not in a great place to negotiate a notable extension. While he has been productive for the Patriots when on the field, it would be understandable if a rearranged front office would have doubts about paying an older rusher market value coming off an abbreviated season.

Judon, who did not join Godchaux in sitting out minicamp, saw that $3MM transferred from his 2024 salary to 2023. The Pats guaranteed him $14MM as part of their two-year, $22.5MM revision. He has seen the market change a bit since his four-year, $54MM free agency accord was finalized. That 2021 offseason was not an optimal time to hit the market, as the salary cap plummeted due to COVID-19 restricting 2020 attendance. Judon was among the Patriots’ many signings, as Belichick zagged due to the unusual market. The $13.6MM AAV on that 2021 contract would now rank 21st among edge defenders.

The ninth-year vet’s options are, of course, limited and withholding services represents about the only leverage he holds. The Pats, who saw Judon rip off 12.5- and 15.5-sack seasons in 2021 and 2022, do not have a comparable edge solution without Judon. The team re-signed Josh Uche after a 2023 regression and have 2023 second-rounder Keion White (one rookie-year sack) in the fold. But Barmore (8.5 sacks last season) is the only Patriot who topped five sacks in 2023. And he is currently dealing with a blood clot issue.

Judon has done well for himself as a Division II product chosen in the 2016 fifth round. The Ravens franchise-tagged him in 2020, and he has earned plenty from the Patriots. But for the Grand Valley State alum’s production level — particularly his New England work — he is underpaid. After the Patriots paid numerous starters, how they resolve the Judon matter is suddenly a pressing issue.

JULY 30: After not taking part in Monday’s practice, Judon is absent altogether from New England’s Tuesday session, ESPN’s Mike Reiss notes. It will be interesting to see if his recent conversations with the organization’s decision-makers, coupled with his hold-in effort, produces traction on the negotiation front. In the meantime, it will be surprising if Judon suits up for practices in at least the immediate future.

JULY 29: Matt Judon is still attached to an expiring contract, and the veteran pass rusher isn’t practicing with the Patriots as he pushes for a revised deal. Judon didn’t participate during New England’s first padded practice today, and Karen Guregian writes that the sack artist appears to be in the midst “of a hold-in.”

[RELATED: Latest On Patriots’ Plans With Matt Judon]

That apparent tactic was also accompanied by some theatrics. Guregian passes along a scene from Monday’s practice when Judon and head coach Jerod Mayo “had a lengthy conversation.” The player eventually left the practice field (“by the looks of it, with Mayo’s prompting,” per Guregian), before returning a short time later. This time, Judon was talking with executive VP of player personnel Eliot Wolf and director of player personnel Matt Groh, and the player’s conversation was much more animated.

It’s not too hard to surmise what Judon was discussing with team brass. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes that the pass rusher’s patience appears to have “worn thin,” while ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes that the sideline conversations “came close to overshadowing the action on the field.”

This is a sudden turn from Judon. While the player has been very public about his desire for a revamped contract, the talks haven’t seemed to be all that contentious. Judon followed a similar path last year, refusing to fully participate in training camp until his contract was adjusted. However, with Bill Belichick no longer running the show, it’s uncertain if Judon’s hold-in will once again be successful. Interestingly, Judon previously stated during a radio appearance that he didn’t want to be a vocal distraction during training camp.

“You kind of keep throwing tantrums, tantrums, tantrums — and then you don’t come out there and do what you’re supposed to do — it kind of gets old real fast. I ain’t really trying to do that,” Judon said (via Reiss). “I ain’t worried about holding out, sitting out, or sitting in, kind of protesting. I’m just going to come out here and kind of play, because last year, that stuff was trash. I ain’t really like that.”

For what it’s worth, Judon has said he would play on his current contract but would prefer not to. The veteran is set to earn $7.5MM in the final season of his deal, and while most pundits assume the Patriots are reluctant to offer a long-term extension, there’s some belief that the sides could compromise on a 2024 pay raise. A report earlier this month indicated the Patriots and Judon were not close on a new deal.