FOXBORO, Mass. — It’s game week! The Patriots kick off their preseason schedule with a matchup against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. It’s expected to be a newsworthy night at Gillette Stadium, but before getting there, New England needed to finish off its initial stretch of training camp with a rather eventful practice Monday. Can […]
FOXBORO, Mass. -- It's game week!
The Patriots kick off their preseason schedule with a matchup against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. It's expected to be a newsworthy night at Gillette Stadium, but before getting there, New England needed to finish off its initial stretch of training camp with a rather eventful practice Monday.
Can you guess who made it so eventful?
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Matthew Judon is locked into one of the more unique contract disputes you'll ever see, and despite ongoing talks, there appears to be no end in sight.
That's not to say "unique" is necessarily a bad thing. Judon has been relatively respectful despite his outspokenness and hasn't lost his charm through the complaints. He just isn't holding back, despite returning to practice, continuing to speak glowingly of his teammates and reiterating that he wants to spend the remainder of his career with the Patriots.
Judon really kicked things off last Monday, as an animated conversation with Jerod Mayo on the practice field led to a brief training camp absence. He was absent Tuesday but would return later in the week and has since been a full participant. We hadn't heard from the 31-year-old following his eventful week until he stepped to the podium following practice Monday.
"We had a conversation. I didn't want to be a distraction to the team," Judon explained of his discussion with Mayo. "I went inside. I wasn't participating in those drills that day, so I went inside. Then I got a message so I came back and talked to our (vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf)."
Judon was asked if his conversations with Wolf and Mayo were productive, and although he acknowledged they were, he had no problem diving into semantics.
"I feel like that's every conversation, right? Regardless of the emotions that's involved, you try to get to an understanding," Judon said. "I think just because we don't agree don't mean we don't understand each other's side ... I got to play. I didn't say nothing about practice. I got to go out there and play, I got to play the game. I got to do what I'm contracted, obligated to do so I don't lose my money."
The Patriots have a legitimate issue on their hands with Judon. If they allow things to play out as it appears they will, they risk losing him for nothing once the season concludes. Is that how you want to manage the biggest asset you have as a rebuilding franchise?
It shouldn't be, but the further New England gets from a resolution, the closer it becomes to completely fumbling the entire situation.
NOTES
-- Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye took a back seat to the running game Monday. The QBs attempted just 13 and 10 passes, respectively. Brissett was 10-of 13 across all competitive team drills, being intercepted once. Maye was 5-of-10 with an interception and a few "sacks" in which he scrambled with the ball.
-- Vederian Lowe-Sidy Sow-David Andrews-Mike Onwenu-Calvin Anderson was the top offensive line grouping, from left to right. Nick Leverett subbed in for Andrews during the final few group periods, the second straight practice in which he's done so. Chukwuma Okorafor's second straight absence opened up a spot for Anderson, whose return bumped rookie Caedan Wallace to the second group.
Wallace-Layden Robinson-Leverett-Michael Jordan-Zuri Henry was the unit for Maye.
-- The Patriots defense had seven run-stuffs in the first 13 running plays of competitive periods.
-- Keion White and Jeremiah Pharms Jr. each received reps at fullback during a competitive team period. New England currently does not roster a fullback, so if one ever becomes a need, perhaps we'll see White return to a similar role he played collegiately.
-- Joshua Uche and Marcus Jones wore pads, but did not participate in team drills Monday, departing for the lower field shortly after the start of practice. Marte Mapu, Sione Takitaki, Joshuah Bledsoe, Kendrick Bourne and Okorafor all watched practice.
Tyquan Thornton, Jaheim Bell and Anderson each returned from their brief absences, with Bell's being the longest at four practices.
-- The Patriots return to practice Tuesday.
