New England Patriots star defenders Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzalez received some unfortunate injury updates that have them ruled out indefinitely while they seek second opinions, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Patriots’ first-round pick Christian Gonzalez and pass-rushing standout Matthew Judon both are out indefinitely while they seek second opinions on their injuries, per sources. Gonzalez injured his shoulder, Judon suffered a lower bicep tendon tear.
Two significant losses.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 2, 2023
Seeking a second opinion on injuries is rarely a good sign for a quick return, as the hope is the second opinion will either reveal that surgery isn't needed or a shorter recovery window is possible with a different read on the injury. That the Patriots have ruled out Judon and Gonzalez indefinitely could spell disaster for New England's defense, which has performed well despite being put in less-than-ideal circumstances with the quarterback play of Mac Jones.
The potential long-term loss of Matthew Judon, who has suffered a lower bicep tendon tear, and Christian Gonzalez, who is dealing with a shoulder injury, comes on the heels of the Patriots suffering their worst defeat in the regular season in the Bill Belichick era to the Cowboys, 38-3. Week 4 has only brought tough news to New England, as the Patriots had to make a QB change in the second half of Week 4 and may have big changes ahead dealing with the loss of their best pass rusher and cover corner.
Judon leads the Patriots defense with four sacks on the season, while Gonzalez, the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, leads the team in interceptions (1) and passes defended (3). Gonzalez has been outstanding as a rookie, ranking 7th out of 109 cornerbacks in Pro Football Focus's player grades while Judon has been one of the most productive players in all of football over the last four years.
While the injury timetables have yet to be revealed for both Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzalez outside of the “indefinite” mark, the news is a major blow to New England's biggest strength so far during the 2023 season.
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