Insider reveals Patriots plans to avoid potential holdouts during training camp

Since Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf took over Patriots operations early this offseason, they have made it a priority to re-sign and extend as many of the roster's foundational pieces as they felt needed, including Christian Barmore, Kyle Dugger, Hunter Henry, and more. It was a strategy purposefully done, according to Wolf, and he vowed to continue that work leading up to training camp.

He followed through on his word by extending Rhamondre Stevenson and Jahlani Tavai over the last few weeks, proving there is a new guy calling the shots regarding the roster.

However, a couple of players remain unsigned, which many feel should have been extended by now, and the leading two players might not show up for training camp if their contracts are not dealt with soon.

Davon Godchaux and Matthew Judon have made it clear they'd like to negotiate extensions to stay in New England beyond the 2024 season. Both players have been significant additions to the defense since signing with the team in 2021, and it would be devastating to see either leave next year.

Because holdouts are possible with training camp just a few weeks away, it's imperative the Patriots deal with the contract drama as soon as possible. That is apparently their plan, according to Patriots insider Mike Reiss, who provided an update regarding the team's intentions in his latest 'Sunday Notes' piece.

The Patriots want all contract negotiations to be dealt with before training camp

With two big-name players looking for new contracts, getting these deals done has been at the forefront of most Patriots news over the past week.

Reiss notes that the new regime hopes to have all "contract-related matters" figured out and put away before the first day of training camp, which is certainly a positive sign but also means they must act quickly. He also reveals the possible path they will take if extensions aren't agreed upon, which could be the case with either Godchaux or Judon.

"The Patriots would ideally like to have all contract-related matters buttoned up by the first practice July 24, giving Mayo a clear football runway as he begins his first training camp as coach. So that leaves another 10 days to resolve the status of the likes of outside linebacker Matthew Judon and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux (and possibly others).

If extensions aren't struck, one way to bridge the gap is to increase the value of their contracts via incentives to a more tenable financial level for the player."

This is a move in the right direction and an optimistic update, given how little has been said regarding these two players since the draft. It would be best to get it all squared away and have all players in attendance for training camp, as they hope to put the team on a new path under Mayo and approach things differently than in years past.

Because of how important Godchaux and Judon have become to the defense's success, hopefully, they will continue their careers in New England. It will almost certainly come down to money, which the Patriots have plenty of, but fans won't like many of the factors that might determine their fates.

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