Patriots

Mayo: Patriots have had extension talks with Christian Barmore, Matthew Judon

"We want to keep our own. We want to keep our own players."

By Conor Ryan

March 25, 2024

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The Patriots have focused most of their efforts during this free-agency period re-signing key contributors like Mike Onwenu, Hunter Henry, Kendrick Bourne, and Kyle Dugger.

And based on head coach Jerod Mayo’s comments on Monday, it seems like New England is looking to continue that trend moving forward with arguably its two best defensive players.

While speaking to reporters at the NFL annual meeting in Orlando, Mayo acknowledged that New England has already started contract discussions with both Christian Barmore and Matthew Judon. 

Barmore — who is set to enter the final year of his rookie deal in 2024 — is poised for a hefty pay raise next offseason if he goes to market.

The 24-year-old defensive tackle put together a breakout season for the Patriots in 2023, developing into a potent pass-rusher who routinely made life miserable for interior offensive linemen.

Over 17 games last season, the 2021 second-round pick out of the University of Alabama recorded 8.5 sacks, 64 tackles, one forced fumble, six deflected passes, 13 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits.

“One thing about Barmore, he’s one of those players, he’s developed here,” Mayo said. “There were some questions coming out of college, obviously, you know his potential. He’s done a fantastic job really growing up. I think DeMarcus (Covington) and Joe Kim have done a good job really helping develop him.

“Once again, it goes back to — we want to keep our own. We want to keep our own players. We have had talks with Barmore. Hopefully, it works out.”

Unlike Barmore, Judon trudged through a lost season in 2023 — with the veteran pass-rusher limited to just four games after suffering a torn bicep during New England’s 38-3 loss to the Cowboys on Oct. 1.

But Judon has arguably been New England’s most impactful player over the last few seasons — recording 32 sacks, 62 quarterback hits, and 33 tackles for loss over 38 career games with the Patriots.

Judon is set to turn 32 in August, but could still command plenty of suitors by the time he hits free agency after the 2025 season.

“There’s no question we want a guy like Judon. And going back to keeping our own, when Judon was in Baltimore, he just happened to be this great guy and a great fit, a culture add for us,” Mayo said. “And we want to keep Judon.

“We want to keep him, but that’s more of a question for [de-facto GM] Eliot [Wolf]. .. “Those conversations have started. We know he’s still a premier rusher in this league. As we continue to go forward, we want him to be a piece of the puzzle.”

While some Patriots fans might be frustrated by New England’s relatively quiet offseason, the Patriots might be saving some of their current cap savings in anticipation of heftier new deals for Barmore and Judon.

According to Over The Cap, the Patriots sit atop the NFL with $50,084,159 in available cap space at this stage of the offseason. 

“I know we have a lot of cash to utilize, but we are going to utilize it the right way,” Mayo noted. “We have to be very convicted when we do spend that cash. But ownership has done a good job of just letting Eliot and I know that we have the cash to spend — just try to spend it smart.”