Last week, it seemed like the Matthew Judon-Patriots standoff had a chance to spiral out of control.
But fortunately for New England, it appears the tension has cooled down a bit.
Judon made frustration about his current contract situation abundantly clear at the outset of Patriots training camp. Following a public on-field dispute with first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, Judon stayed away from the team for a day while he watched a fellow defensive standout receive a new deal.
The star-pass rusher eventually returned to the team and participated in three straight practices. And according to ESPN's Mike Reiss, Judon and the Patriots aren't in as strained of a situation as they previously were.
"The situation has simmered in the view of multiple sources close to it, but isn't completely resolved as Judon's contract remains unchanged," Reiss wrote in a column published Sunday.
It remains to be seen where the Patriots land on Judon, but it's easy to understand why New England might have reservations about giving him a lucrative long-term deal. Judon is coming off a serious season-ending injury and turns 32 years old in a few weeks. Eliot Wolf and company might prefer eventually replacing Judon with a cheaper option and using the majority of its cap space on support for Drake Maye.
All told, it's a situation that will command attention until a verdict is reached. The Patriots are slated to open their preseason schedule Thursday evening at Gillette Stadium.
