New England Patriots star pass rusher Matthew Judon has made his desire for a new contract abundantly clear this offseason. However, last week, he also admitted he has no choice but to play out the final year of his current deal.
Nevertheless, Judon has seemingly changed his stance based on Monday’s training camp session in Foxborough is any indication.
Per Chad Graff and Larry Holder of The Athletic ($), Judon showed up to practice with a bone to pick. The four-time Pro Bowler reportedly had “long conversations” with head coach Jerod Mayo and lead executive Eliot Wolf.
Judon escalated the ongoing contract-related tension, getting into an “animated” discussion with Wolf before leaving the field for the second time in minutes.
While Judon has been present for practice, he hasn’t been participating. If his holdout continues, Graff and Holder suggest it could implore the soon-to-be 32-year-old to be more “open” about getting traded than previously expressed.
Should Judon’s stance on getting dealt soften, Graff and Holder proposed New England uses him to target a No. 1 wide receiver. The Pats unsuccessfully attempted to address the position this offseason. Perhaps they could try again with a new bargaining chip?
Notably, San Francisco 49ers standout wideout Brandon Aiyuk requested a trade in July. So, Graff and Holder floated an intriguing exchange that’d kill two birds with one stone, sending Judon to the Bay Area.
Below, we’ll grade the deal between the Pats and Niners involving Aiyuk and Judon from the perspective of both teams.
Grade the trade: Patriots and 49ers swap frustrated stars
As you can see, Graff and Holder presented the idea of New England offering Judon and a second-round pick to San Fran for Aiyuk. And honestly, it’s a reasonable proposition.
However, from the viewpoint of 49ers general manager John Lynch, it’s hard to justify parting ways with Aiyuk in this scenario.
San Francisco is the consensus favorite to win the NFC in 2024. Giving up Aiyuk, a vital offensive cog, for a package with draft capital being the main asset feels counterintuitive — given the team’s Super Bowl aspirations.
Additionally, the 49ers signed veteran edge rusher Leonard Floyd in March to bookend Pro Bowler Nick Bosa, rendering little need for Judon. Acquiring the Pats standout would be a luxury for San Francisco, which isn’t the move you make for a player of Aiyuk’s caliber.
Conversely, landing Aiyuk would be a home run for the Patriots (assuming the two sides agree on a contract extension afterward). The 26-year-old would give New England a bonafide alpha receiver to pair with rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye recently received his worst reviews yet from Pats training camp. It shouldn’t be a massive cause for concern, though having someone like Aiyuk would definitely make life easier for the young signal-caller.
Ultimately, this feels like a lopsided transaction, favoring the Patriots heavily. In theory, you can argue it solves problems for all parties involved. But in practice, it’s challenging to execute.
Judon and Aiyuk are both in complex situations. Simply relocating them doesn’t necessarily solve things. Why would San Francisco extend the former, an aging linebacker coming off a devastating biceps injury, but not the latter?
Alternatively, are the Pats prepared and willing to make Aiyuk one of the highest-paid pass-catchers in the NFL? Even though they have the cap space to do it, they may not be inclined to as a rebuilding franchise.
Overall, this would be a solid albeit uninspiring haul for the Niners. Meanwhile, it’d be a significant win for the Pats, turning a disgruntled Judon and future second-rounder into Aiyuk.
