The Patriots’ most notable contract-year players have reported for training camp
The New England Patriots have a couple of key contract situations to watch for over the course of training camp.
Notably, both players in question have reported to Foxboro for the start of camp, which officially opens to reporters on Wednesday. According to head coach Jerod Mayo in his first press conference of camp, everyone on the Pats’ roster has arrived, including linebacker Matthew Judon and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.
Judon, 31, is entering the final year of his contract with the Patriots that he originally signed in the 2021 off-season. For 2024, he’s on the books for a base salary of just $6.5 million, none of which is guaranteed, and $1M in per-game roster bonuses. Even a diminished version of Judon, who has averaged 14 sacks and 28 quarterback hits per 17 games over three seasons in New England, would be a bargain at that price.
MORE: 7 roster battles to watch in Patriots training camp
Godchaux, meanwhile, is also entering a contract year, with a base salary of $7.5 million and $1.15 million in roster/workout bonuses and nothing guaranteed. The 30-year-old has played all 17 games in all three seasons with the Pats, starting 50 and averaging 38.9 defensive snaps per game.
According to Over The Cap, the Patriots could create $8.3 million in salary cap savings by cutting or trading Godchaux, while owning no real money. Judon would presumably carry more potential trade value than Godchaux, but would add $6.7 million in space if the Pats could find a taker for him – assuming they can’t work out the contract.
“Look, the relationship is still good, at least from my perspective,” Mayo said Tuesday. “I know that their teammates definitely respect them. Those are valuable pieces of this organization and they’ve done a lot for us. Hopefully we can get something done and those guys are here. I want them here, Eliot [Wolf] wants them here, the team wants them here. There is a business aspect to everything though.”
Of course Mayo had to throw in that last part. “Business.” That’s his opening to allow for the possibility of the Patriots not getting something done with Judon or Godchaux.
It would be unfortunate if the Pats and Judon couldn’t come to an agreement, considering the linebacker’s All-Pro-caliber performance on the field. There’s also the long list of contract extensions handed out by the Patriots under Wolf over the course of the off-season, which has helped add up to a whopping $295 million in cash spending, 10th-highest in the NFL.
Godchaux, however, may have more of an uphill battle to sign the kind of extension that his teammates have gotten, just by the nature of the position he plays. He commented publicly about his contract on X back in June: “Hopefully we can get something done that’s fair to me and my team before camp starts!”
Godchaux wants to stay in New England, but is clearly cognizant of business at the same time. For now, he enters camp as one of the team’s top options at defensive tackle, with Christian Barmore topping the depth chart.
MORE: What to watch for at each position during Patriots training camp
While Judon and Godchaux are present for Patriots training camp, their level of participation is something to watch for in the coming days. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on that as we cover camp live in Foxboro here at 985TheSportsHub.com.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
