FOXBOROUGH — As Thursday’s practice concluded with some half-speed 11-on-11 work in the red zone, Matthew Judon stood on the sidelines, in stocking feet and his traditional red-sleeved sweatshirt, working the down marker. Thus concluded a second straight training camp practice that didn’t feature the Patriots’ best player.
This has become one of the camp’s early curiosities, building on a spring and summer that also saw Judon do far more watching than participating, at least when it came to the football portions of practices. Conditioning? That hasn’t been a problem. Judon has been running full speed, though he did retreat to the lower practice field with other rehabbing players. A lingering upper-body injury? Sure. That’s a real possibility and the easy answer. Or is there something more? It is worth considering.
Per a source, there were conversations between Judon’s camp and the Patriots about his contract back in the spring. Obviously, nothing got done. Thus, Judon remains dramatically underpaid. As our fearless leader Greg Bedard noted earlier today, Judon’s guaranteed money has mostly been spent. Add that to the fact that he’s only due 22 million over the next two seasons, and you could see why the edge rusher might be quietly protesting the lack of new money or an extension, and conducting a hold-in to avoid the collectively bargained 50K a day fine for skipping out on training camp. It used to be those fines could be forgiven. The new CBA doesn’t allow it. Smart business by Judon, if indeed this is the approach.
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This is a player who has embraced being a Patriot, one who has spent each of the last two offseasons working his Twitter feed to recruit prominent free agents. He hasn’t landed one, but that’s above his pay grade. This is an organization that has money to spend yet, aside from contract extensions to Ja’Whaun Bentley and DeVante Parker (his number was actually reduced), hasn’t much since their free agent spending spree back in 2021. For a team in need of more talent, and in retaining the talent they have, that’s something definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Perhaps Judon is doing what we wondered aloud if Lawrence Guy should attempt? Instead, the 33-year-old Guy decided to report to training camp after passing on mandatory mini-camp. No hold-in here. Guy has been running with the first-team defense, per usual, although he made it clear to me, quickly, that his attendance doesn’t mean any new deal or reworked deal is imminent.
“No,” he said when I asked, before adding, “I’m here. A big smile on my face. I’m going to do whatever I can for the organization, to work as hard as I can.”
Guy will make about $3 million in cash this year, with roster and game bonuses. His cap hit is $3.57 million. He’s also on the books for 2024, at the same number (per Spotrac).
“Me and my agents have been discussing [his contract] with the organization and we’re just going to keep that private between us,” Guy said.
When I followed up, wondering if the business side of this is triggering for someone who loves the game and has given as much to it and this franchise as he has, the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee laughed.
“We get the TV ratings, the fans out here, but it is what it is. I pay no mind to that. My job is to go out there and play football, right? Everything else can handle itself on the other side of it, but when I’m out here with this jersey on, I’m a Patriot and I’m playing for my teammates and coaches.”
Precisely why the Pats should give Guy a sweetener for this season.
Then there’s Josh Uche. After practice, the 4th year edge rusher told us he’d “love” to stay in New England as a Patriot long-term, but it’s not hard to read between the lines. Money, as it always seems to, matters as he angles for a long-term extension here or a contract elsewhere.
“Yeah, wherever I’m wanted, wherever I’m needed,” he said. “I’m willing to work. I just want to work, bro. At the end of day, it’s a job. Growing up, my father was putting in work on the weekends and stuff, yard work, so all I know is working, bro. Wherever it may be - God willing it’s here - I’m just going to give it everything I got.”
Uche had a breakout season, with 11.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. That led to conversations between his agents and the Pats, but nothing has happened as of yet, or at least nothing that the former Michigan standout is willing to share.
“I don’t want to worry myself about the details,” he told us.
For what it is worth, considering they’re not in full pads, Uche has been a menace in the first two practices, using veteran right tackle Riley Reiff as an occasional turnstile. He’s another player who would seem to be a candidate as a future building block, but as of yet, hasn’t gotten that commitment from the organization. Cap space doesn’t mean much period, but especially if you aren’t willing to use it.
"If you’ve got a high-profile guy, contracts are going to be a part of every offseason and at a certain point you have got to knuckle down and focus on the season at hand," Matt Groh said Wednesday. "A lot of that stuff is going to take care of itself. Trying to get contracts done right now, you don’t have all the information, the player has got another season, where you potentially don’t know if his production is going to be high or low. There are a lot of factors that go into it, health, durability, role on the team, leadership. So, with a whole nother season to go, it makes it tricky trying to gauge the market at these times, but when we think that we can do that and obviously the player and his representatives think that we can do that, then it is smart to try and get something done."
Hunter Henry, Mike Onwenu and Kyle Dugger are among other prominent Patriots players in contract years. Maybe the wallet's about to open up for a few of those players.
"Kyle’s a really good player," Belichick said today. "Yeah, he’s big, he can run, he can tackle, he can cover, he can blitz. Yeah, he’s great. These guys are great. That’s why they go high in the draft, premium for them and they end up getting a lot of money."