The New England Patriots have given new contracts to several of their starting-caliber players so far this offseason, but one realistic candidate is still missing from that group. Edge linebacker Matthew Judon, one of the team’s most valuable defenders of the last three years, has yet to sign a new deal.
It appears no agreement should be expected soon either. According to a report by Henry McKenna of Fox Sports, the Patriots have made an offer but the two sides are “not currently close” to reaching common ground.
Judon, 31, arrived in New England as an unrestricted free agent in 2021. Signing a four-year, $54.5 million pact, he quickly became a cornerstone of one of the NFL’s best defenses.
The former Baltimore Ravens fifth-round draft pick registered a career-high 12.5 sacks in his first season, followed by 15.5 the next. Both campaigns ended with him getting selected to the Pro Bowl. And while an elbow injury limited Judon to only four games in 2023, he still finished the season ranked fourth on the team with four total quarterback takedowns.
Entering this offseason, the Patriots and Judon were therefore expected to revise his contract. The two sides already tweaked his deal twice before, but Judon is still scheduled to enter free agency next spring despite the restructures: his pact is set to void in February.
At $14.68 million, Judon carries the highest salary cap hit on the Patriots’ roster for the upcoming season. However, his cash intake for 2024 stands at only $7.5 million, according to Miguel Benzan.
Despite no apparent progress in terms of contract talks, Judon was an active participant in mandatory minicamp. Whether he will report to training camp on time is a different story, though.
The Patriots will welcome their veteran players to Gillette Stadium on July 23, with the first practice scheduled to take place one day later.
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