Predicting the fate of Matthew Judon with the Patriots this offseason

The New England Patriots have been busy this offseason in an unusual way. They have
signed many of their better players to contract extensions. This is a break with the past under Bill Belichick when extensions were difficult to come by for even some of the team's best players.

Top free agents like Kyle Dugger and Mike Onwenu, while maybe being overpaid, have been retained. Meanwhile, other top players like Christian Barmore especially, and Davon Godchaux, in rare cases of granting a contract extension to a non-free agent were also resigned.

Now, the question of the hour is whether or not the team will give an extension to perennial Pro-Bowler Matt Judon when healthy. Let’s explore this and predict whether they will or won’t sign arguably their best player to a contract extension.

The Patriots have signed the rest, now they’ll sign their best

The prediction here is that Matt Judon will be signed to an extension shortly, and that will be that. Judon, when healthy, is the Patriots' best player. If he’s fully recovered from his season-ending injury
in game four of 2023, it’s only a matter of time.

Any opportunity for the 2024 Patriots to have a winning season and approach playoff contention will rest largely on the shoulders of the team’s defense. The defense will be the strength of the team, no matter who is selected as the starting quarterback.

Losing Christian Barmore, an emerging Pro-Bowler to a health situation was a serious loss. Adding any further disruption by trading Judon will end any realistic chance the team has of a winning season. Thoughts of trading Judon should be put aside.

Judon will be key to the team’s pass-rush, especially with Christian Barmore on the shelf. With both Barmore and Judon on the field, the Patriots have a formidable pass rush, especially when adding a
possible breakout player, Keion White to the mix.

Conversely, if Barmore and Judon are out of the picture, the team’s top asset is significantly diminished. Therefore, the Patriots really have no option if, in fact, the team actually is seeking to have a winning season. They have to sign Judon to an extension.

The Patriots need to end the drama and get on with the business of football, i.e., training camp, without any further disruption. Therefore, the prediction here is straightforward: Matt Judon will be signed to a contract extension shortly. It’s the only course of action that makes any sense.

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