New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon taking lighter reps at the start of training camp was not a result of an issue with his contract, as Judon himself pointed out when poking fun with the media on Friday.
However, a contract issue does reportedly exist, and both the Patriots and Judon are quietly working behind the scenes to try to resolve it.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported on where things stand currently in his Sunday notes column:
Outside linebacker Matthew Judon played coy on how much his desire for a financial boost to his contract played a role in his limited participation in practice last week. The sides have had an open dialogue recently, according to sources. The one-year extension signed by Cincinnati Bengals pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson, which added $5 million to his 2023 pay, seems relevant to the ongoing conversations.
This is certainly an encouraging piece of news, given that the linebacker was an important part of the Patriots’ pass-rushing unit, recording 15.5 sacks last season. This marked the second season in a row that he recorded at least 10 sacks.
New England will need him to be the same, dominant force he has been over the past couple of seasons, especially when they have the hardest schedule in the league in 2023.
Judon will be a key cog for New England defensively. Here’s to hoping the contract situation sorts itself out sooner rather than later.
