New England Patriots Matthew Judon: Offseason Workouts to New Contract?

FOXBORO — Though he has not seen on-field action since last October, New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon is eager to get back on the field … and thus, get back to business. 

As the Pats began phase 1 of their voluntary offseason program last Monday at Gillette Stadium, Judon was among the 50-plus members of their roster helping to usher in a “new era” under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. 

Despite having been absent from such workouts in previous years, a Sunday morning ESPN report indicates that Judon may be taking a more active interest in participating for number of reasons — including, but not limited to, aiding in his rehab from a season-ending biceps injury, increasing his presence as a mentor to his teammates and to help facilitate negotiations on a potential contract extension. 

“For those who have wondered why Judon has never been elected a team captain, my feeling has been that absences in the spring have been a factor, as he hasn't been around as much in the offseason to lead,” wrote ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “Perhaps that changes in 2024 -- a time in which Judon seeks an adjusted contract ($6.5 million base salary) as he aims to return from a torn biceps that limited him to four games last season.”

While becoming a team captain is clearly important to the 31-year-old veteran linebacker, the financial implications of his attendance may become increasingly interesting as the season draws near. Though Judon may have agreed to restructure the original four-year, $54.5 million contract he signed with New England in 2021, Still, as Reiss previously indicated, Judon appears to be seeking a new deal which will yield greater compensation than the $6.5 million he is set to earn in 2023. 

At the time of his Week 4 injury, Judon was arguably New England’s most accomplished defensive player. In just four games, he led the Patriots with nine quarterback hits, and five tackles for loss, four sacks and one safety. While the Patriots defense continued to play at a high level throughout a dismal 4-13 season, their pass rush was considerably less fearsome without Judon in the lineup,

Since his arrival in Foxboro during the 2021 offseason, Judon has routinely proven that he possesses the versatility and adaptability to have earned the spot as the team’s number one player on the edge. His on-field awareness puts him in position to keep runs from reaching the corner on early downs, as well as providing speed and strength when rushing the quarterback. In his first year with the Pats, Judon amassed 60 tackles, one fumble recovery and 12.5 sacks. He eclipsed those totals in 2022 with a career-high 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles (recovering one), while once again logging 60 total tackles.

However, as impressive as he has been as an individual defender, Judon has also proven to be a significant facilitator for his teammates. In 2021, he was quite effective when reading opposing coverages, particularly the offensive line coverage of defensive lineman Christian Barmore. By positioning himself close to Barmore [thus enabling him to draw the attention of opposing blockers,] Judon was often left one-on-one on the edge to make life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks. 

In 2022, Judon played the role of decoy for linebacker Josh Uche, who set a career-high in sacks with 11.5. Together, the pair formed one of the top pass-rushing tandems in the NFL. Uche, who is set to enter unrestricted free agency when the NFL year begins on March 13, clearly missed Judon playing alongside him, having logged only 15 tackles and three sacks in 15 games last season. 

Perhaps most importantly, Judon’s presence in Foxboro seemingly adds further evidence that the timetable for his recovery is on-schedule. Having undergone surgery to repair his torn biceps last October, the Louisiana native recently revealed being satisfied with his health heading into 2024. 

“Comeback is going good,” Judon said during a March appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “Me and my trainers, we’re just working hard to get back all the strength and flexibility. And we’re there now. It’s been a long time. So for that, I’m doing well … I got a lot in store [this] year.”

Whether he is joined by familiar faces or a new supporting cast, Judon is seemingly ready to reclaim his spot as the Pats most fearsome front-seven defender. Though he is entering the final year of his contract, the Grand Valley State product is not looking too far into the future just yet. While his recovery efforts prevented him from returning to the field in 2023, he is intently focused on making this season a memorable one in New England.