One of the trending stories about the Patriots this offseason has been around Matthew Judon and the contract negotiations regarding an extension. He was one of the many players entering the 2024 season on the final year of their current contract and was expected to be at the front of the pack to receive an extension.
However, Eliot Wolf took a much different approach this offseason, re-signing and extending several players, but not Judon. While several players who will remain with the Patriots beyond the upcoming season would have deserved the new contracts, none have been more productive or more important to the team’s success since arriving in Foxboro than Judon.
That’s why Wolf’s continued reluctance to make a deal with the pass rusher remains at the forefront as we get closer to the regular season. A dramatic scene in training camp a few weeks ago seemed to confirm that talks weren’t going well, after which Judon apparently hesitated.
Since he returned to practice, things have seemed quiet despite the lack of a contract extension. Now that the preseason is continuing, it seems less likely that a deal will be done before Week 1, according to the latest news from NFL insider Jeremy Fowler.
According to Fowler, several teams have called the Patriots about trading for Judon, as it doesn’t look like a contract extension is on the cards anytime soon.
While it would be great to receive some sort of compensation now for a player they might be able to let go as a free agent next year, this is not an ideal situation for Mayo’s plans to maintain a dominant defense going forward.
Several teams have inquired about a trade for pass rusher Matthew Judon, as his contract with the #Patriotsaccording to sources.
Judon is due $6.5 million in the final year of his contract. New England made Judon a contract offer this summer, but Judon declined. pic.twitter.com/fEfeNBVxwo
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) 12 August 2024
If Judon’s contract is not going to be renewed due to his age or salary desire, then it makes a lot of sense to trade him now. It’s clear that the new regime wants to build the team through the draft and develop younger players for the desired team, which is not exactly where Judon is in his career.
However, leaving the most productive pass rusher since Chandler Jones nearly a decade ago doesn’t seem like the best idea.
This is a situation worth keeping an eye on, especially since there doesn’t seem to be much going on between Judon and the Patriots. Despite his pleas to stay with the team until the end of his career, his inevitable fate could be to end his career elsewhere if a team makes an aggressive offer.
