Patriots’ Matthew Judon Gives Major Update On Contract Status

New England Patriots edge rusher Matthew Judon is angling for a new contract. He is not holding out, but he isn’t practicing and was seen having a heated conversation with head coach Jerod Mayo on Monday, leading to Judon storming off the field.

He wasn’t even at the facility on Tuesday.

Judon has one year remaining on his deal, and Dianna Russini of The Athletic recently reported that the Patriots made the star pass rusher a contract offer.

However, Judon says otherwise.

“No they haven’t but it makes me look bad again,” Judon posted in a reply to a comment on social media. “Don’t believe the lies.”

Judon is slated to earn $6.5 million in base salary for 2024 and carries a $14.7 million cap hit. Given his production, that is not bad at all.

The 32-year-old is preparing to enter his third year with the Patriots.

Last season, Judon was limited to just four games due to a torn bicep, but when he was on the field, he was productive, logging 13 tackles and four sacks.

The four-time Pro Bowler was tremendous during his first two years in New England, racking up 12.5 and 15.5 sacks, respectively.

Judon spent the first five seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens before signing with the Patriots in 2021.

Keeping Matthew Judon doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Patriots

New England is clearly in rebuilding mode, and Judon is an aging player who is on track to hit free agency next offseason.

So, why is he even on the Pats’ roster?

It’s strange that the Patriots didn’t work harder to trade him earlier in the offseason considering that he obviously does not fit the team’s timeline any longer.

Perhaps New England was attempting to wait until the trade deadline in order to extract more value from a desperate team, but that’s a risky proposition.

At this point, the Pats should absolutely begin fielding trade offers for Judon. It seems pretty clear that the two sides are headed for a divorce, so why not recoup some value for the defensive star while you still can?

There are plenty of ballclubs around the NFL who would love to have Matthew Judon’s services.

Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.