Patriots star pass rusher Matthew Judon wants a new contract and is turning up the pressure.
In an appearance on the “Shut Up Marc Podcast,” this week Judon crushed the Patriots’ front office for not using available cap space.
“I don’t want to be the villain. I don’t want to be the bad guy,” Judon said. “But it’s like, shoot, bro, help me out. We’ve got the most cap [space] in the league right now. They don’t even get the money. What the hell are y’all doing with it? Y’all literally just not using it.”
The Patriots rank last in the NFL in cash spending over the last decade, per ESPN, although first year coach Jerod Mayo previously promised he was “ready to burn some cash” when he was hired.
New England has more than $40 million in cap space with training camp now under way, by far the most in the NFL, according to Spotrac.
Judon is currently set to make $7.5 million this upcoming season and will be a free agent after the 2024 season.
He acknowledged that it isn’t easy being in the front office of an NFL team, but still doesn’t understand the lack of initiative from the team.
“It’s hard to know who to give the money to, when to give the money and how much,” Judon said.
He continued by adding that he personally wrote up his own contract and sent it to the team, which went unanswered by the front office.
“I wrote out my own contract and sent it to them. They just ain’t respond yet,” Judon said. “I got an agent, but that one thing I did do.”
The situation appears to be hitting its tipping point.
Judon was seen sitting off to the side of the practice field during pass rushing drills Monday, according to NBC Sports Boston.
Phil Perry reported that Mayo went over to him, and they had a discussion before he appeared frustrated and walked off the practice field.
Judon dealt with injuries last season, although the year prior was near the league lead in sacks, piling up 15.5 in 2022.