It was expected the New England Patriots would have to return to the negotiating table this offseason with star defender Matthew Judon. That became the case after Bill Belichick restructured Judon's deal last offseason, giving him a cash advance rather than adding any new money to his deal.
Judon, who is entering the final year of his deal, is unlikely to play the 2024 campaign for a modest $6.5 million base salary. The 31-year-old pass-rusher is worth much more, after all. Judon recorded four sacks in four games during the 2023 campaign after a career-best 15.5 sacks and fourth consecutive Pro Bowl nod in 2022.
During his weekly column published Sunday, ESPN's Mike Reiss wrote the Patriots and Judon have started to communicate about Judon's contract.
"Now, with the first wave of free agency over, it opens a window for the sides to work toward a resolution, which they've begun to preliminarily explore," Reiss wrote in reference to Judon.
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With Judon limited to four games in 2023 due to a torn biceps injury, Reiss noted New England might want to try to sweeten the deal with more incentives rather than guarantees. Last season, the Patriots upped Judon's guarantees considerably. Whether Judon agrees to an incentive-based sweetener, however, is up in the air.
When appearing on a Boston radio station during Super Bowl week, Judon said he felt like he was "ready to go" and fully recovered from the injury. The Patriots would be wise to make sure arguably their best player is taken care of, especially given their current financial standing and lack of high-level talent.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
