Patriots in extension talks with a pair of defensive stars
New England Patriots outside linebacker Matt Judon.
In the summer, the Patriots started discussions with star pass rusher Matt Judon concerning a new contract as he headed into the second-to-last season of his current deal.
With talks of a new contract on the horizon, Judon agreed to a restructured deal that included several incentives he would miss out on due to injury this year.
Still, the deal was made with the expectation that both sides would return to the table in the offseason. With the first wave of free agency over, those talks have resumed, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Judon’s biceps injury ended up being a season-ending ailment. Though, it seemed at times there was a possibility for him to return, Judon missed every remaining game after his injury. As a result, Reiss believes that any future extension offer the Patriots may draft up will be incentive-heavy, to protect them in the case of another long-term injury.
While that makes sense for New England, Judon has already experienced the loss of income as a result of a contract that fails to protect him from injury. As a player with star talent who missed extended time for the first time in his career in 2023 and lost money as a result, Judon will likely be seeking a deal high in guarantees.
Perhaps a middle ground can be reached on a deal that both delivers a large guaranteed sum to Judon while still leaving a bit of achievable additional income through incentives.
The Patriots are also expected to begin extension talks with defensive tackle Christian Barmore. The former second-round pick out of Alabama is heading into the final year of his rookie contract and had a career year in a breakout season.
In six starts in 2023, Barmore led a team missing Judon in sacks with 8.5, more than tripling his previous career high. His exceptional pass rushing metrics graded out seventh in the NFL for interior defenders, according to Pro Football Focus, and he graded out as the eighth-best overall interior defender as a result.
With Barmore showing the promise that helped him get drafted in the second round, the Patriots will try to get a jump on signing him to an extension. They’ll want to avoid a situation in which he continues to excel during a contract year in 2024 and prices himself out of New England.
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