New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon reportedly has returned to practice on Thursday, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
The Patriots have some good pieces on the defensive side of the ball, and Matthew Judon is one of those pieces. He is an established veteran and a vital leader for New England on that side of the ball. He has been looking for an adjusted contract heading into this season. That has not happened, but it seems as if he feels better about the situation now, at least to the point that he is willing to practice.
New Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said he met with the linebacker, saying that he had a “great meeting” with Judon, and that he “fully expects” him to practice on Thursday, according to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com. That was said to the media before practice took place on Thursday, and Jerod Mayo ended up being right that Judon would end up practicing.
That does not mean that the contract situation is not still pressing for the Patriots, but it is a welcomed sight for fans that the relationship is seemingly in a good enough place that he is willing to participate in practice.
Judon is in the final year of his contract with the Patriots, which does include a void year for 2025. It is understandable for him to want a new and updated contract. He is 32, and the Patriots are going in a new direction, however. With Drake Maye as the future of the franchise at quarterback and Bill Belichick out of the picture, maybe the Patriots try to think about getting younger. It will be intriguing to see what happens with Judon throughout training camp and preseason.
Patriots' defense a source of optimism
As mentioned before, the Patriots have some good pieces on defense. Judon is one of those and the leader of the defense. But there are several other players to like on the unit.
Davon Godchaux, who just signed an extension, is a solid piece. So is Christian Barmore, who is dealing with blood clots. There is no timetable for Christian Barmore's return, but if and when he does, that is significant.
In the secondary, Christian Gonzalez showed to be a good player before suffering a season-ending injury in his rookie year. Jabrill Peppers has been valuable as well and just signed an extension.
Hopefully the Patriots can figure out some kind of solution with Judon so that he is on the field in Week 1 without any contract worries.
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