Jerod Mayo's comments on Matthew Judon could mean one of two things

Speculation surrounding the future of Matthew Judon in New England has been a dominant story throughout the offseason, and all eyes were on training camp to see if the pass rusher would be present for practice.

When he did arrive, it seemed to disprove the notion of a forthcoming holdout over a lack of a new contract, but that didn't last during the second week of summer practices, as animated conversations with Matt Groh, Jerod Mayo, and Eliot Wolf led to Judon leaving the field early on Monday morning.

That kicked off even more rumors about his future in New England, with many believing this was the start of the Patriots' decision to eventually trade Judon before the season began. Proposals were shared, his social media activity was closely watched, and his absence at the following practice created even more drama within a dramatic situation.

Fortunately, that, too, didn't last long, as the pass rusher returned to practice on Wednesday, much to the delight of Jerod Mayo, who shared that the pair had a good conversation before practice. Even better, it was proven not to be just talk and Judon showed up to practice on Friday, as well.

But Mayo's comments on the situation felt like it could have meant one of two things, both of which could still be on the table for Judon's future.

"(The conversation) was good. It was healthy, and I always encourage those guys to come in and speak with me or speak with Eliot (Wolf)… and those things should happen inside of those walls."

Jerod Mayo's comments regarding Matthew Judon's status could be a hint at his Patriots future

On the surface, Mayo's comments added some optimism regarding the potential contract status of one of the Patriots' best players, who many hope remains on the team for the 2024 season and beyond.

Yet, at the same time, they could have also hinted at two possible outcomes of that conversation, both of which we have yet to see.

One possibility is that contract negotiation talks were re-opened and reconsidered, something Judon has wanted to participate in since he revealed he submitted his own extension to the team. Given how quickly he returned to practice and how much he was participating, it seemed as though whatever the conversation was with Mayo was a good one for Judon, too, and not just lip service from the head coach.

On the other hand, it could also mean that the Patriots expect him to play out the final year of his contract this year, and working out an extension is not a priority for them right now. Although that doesn't seem in the best interest of Judon or the team, the chaotic way the situation was handled this week might have led to that decision.

With the extension still looming over the team and the questions about it not going away, hopefully, they'll get it handled before the regular season begins. It's an unnecessary distraction that can easily be dealt with, so it would be best if they did that as soon as possible, preferably in the way of offering Judon an extension.

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