Patriots’ Matt Judon addresses report that the team has made him a new contract offer as he seeks an extension

A day after Matthew Judon was missing from Tuesday’s training camp practice, there is some clarity on the pass rusher’s situation. Or is there? Judon was missing from the session because he is seeking a new contract, according to a report from The Athletic on Wednesday. Since then, this report notes, the New England Patriots have made him an offer. However, soon after this nugget was posted to social media, Judon himself refuted it. 

“No they haven’t, but it makes me look bad again,” he said in response to a social media user relaying the news. “Don’t believe the lies.” 

Judon’s contract situation has devolved in recent days as the club has gone through training camp. While he has expressed his desire to sign a new contract throughout the offseason, he did note last week that he would play on the deal if he and the team could not come to terms on an extension or raise for 2024. However, a different tune has played as of late. 

Judon did not suit up with the team for its first day of full pads on Monday and instead was present in a red sweatshirt. During that practice, he was seen having an animated conversation with head coach Jerod Mayo before seemingly being sent off the field. He later reappeared and had another animated conversation with vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and director of player personnel Matt Groh. 

The next day, Judon was not present for practice, which led many to wonder if that was his own choice to begin a firm holdout or if was it a suspension issued by the team or a different reason entirely. Judging by the first part of The Athletic’s reporting, it was Judon who decided to skip out on the session. He also did not refute that aspect of the report in his social media post. 

Judon is in the final year of his contract and is set to make a base salary of $6.5 million this season. The soon-to-be 32-year-old is also coming off of a season-ending bicep injury he suffered in Week 4 last year. 

It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out. Do the two sides come together on a revised deal or have things soured so much that there is no way forward? The longer this goes, I would guess the latter.