Patriots notes: Matthew Judon isn’t planning hold-in for new contract - Boston Herald

Matthew Judon practiced in front of reporters Monday for the first time since his season-ending injury last October.

One day later, he opened up about his contract status during a radio interview.

The Patriots borrowed from Judon’s 2024 salary to give him a raise last August, and the four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher now is set to earn just $6.5 million this season, plus another $1 million in per-game roster bonuses.

That’s below market value for a player who led New England in sacks in 2021 and ’22. Judon was asked Tuesday whether he plans to “hold-in” during training camp — attend mandatory practices but not participate — if the Patriots don’t give him a new contract.

The short answer: No.

Judon said he didn’t feel good about the “tantrums” he threw before last summer’s pay bump and doesn’t plan to take the same approach this time.

“You keep throwing tantrums, tantrums, tantrums, and then you don’t come out there and do what you’re supposed to do? It kind of gets old real fast, you know?” he said on 100.7 WZLX’s “The Rich Shertenlieb Show.” “I ain’t really trying to do that. I’m just trying to come out here and play football, get ready for this upcoming season, and put our defense and ourself in a position to where we can win the most games or be the most effective.

“So that’s what I’m really on right now. I ain’t worried about holding out, sitting out … kind of protesting. … Because that, last year, that stuff was trash. I ain’t really like that. Like, I’m a football player. I don’t want to get into the agency side. So I’m going to come out here and play some football.”

Judon, who skipped the Patriots’ voluntary OTA practices, said he and the team “(aren’t) far apart” on a reworked deal. The 31-year-old missed the final 13 games last season after tearing his bicep in a Week 4 loss to Dallas.

“You’ve seen me with my helmet and jersey on (Monday),” Judon said. “I’m not mad. You’ve got to hear it, like, I had a setback last year and I only got to play four games. And in that fourth game, we were getting our butt whooped. After that, I couldn’t do nothing else about nothing else. So I’m trying to play football. I want to play football. That’s what I’ve been blessed to do. I’ve been blessed to be really good at it. And so playing football is what I really want to do. The money will come. It’ll come if I’m good enough, right? If they value what I do.

“I’ve got goals. I’ve got goals and aspirations I want to get done in my career and just my legacy. So when I go back and tell my sons, ‘Your dad was kind of a baller,’ it’ll be true. It’ll be true. I think my kids and stuff are going to be set up for the rest of their life (with) how much I have already been paid. So I’m going to be all right whatever I get paid.”

Linebacker kicker?

Patriots coach Jerod Mayo on Monday said veteran linebacker Jahlani Tavai has been begging to try his hand at kickoffs. Tavai confirmed that Tuesday during a Patriots community event, saying his rugby skills could make him an asset in that role.

“Yeah, why not?” he told the Herald as the Patriots wrapped up a field day at Lilla G. Frederick Middle School in Dorchester. “I can do it. I still have a little bit of my kicking background from rugby. If I get an opportunity, why not try it?”

The NFL’s radical new kickoff format, which aims to incentivize returns while mitigating injury risk, likely will put kickers in tackling situations more often. So, teams could benefit from having a defensive player handle kickoff duties — assuming, of course, that player can kick.

The Chiefs, for example, plan to experiment with safety Justin Reid, who’s seen action as an emergency replacement kicker in the past and is a far more capable tackler than Kansas City’s usual kickoff man, Harrison Butker. Tavai would love a chance to try out for that gig.

“I’m looking forward to it if it does happen,” he said. “If it doesn’t, I’ve still got the defense and other places on special teams that I play.”

Mayo stressed that Tavai needs to “get healthy” before he’ll even consider the linebacker’s request. An undisclosed injury has kept the underrated ‘backer off the field this spring.

“Every day it’s just getting better, and that’s just been my mentality,” said Tavai, who looked spry playing flag football with kids on Tuesday. “Just make sure that I take one day at a time and get to where I need to be.”

Jones on mend

Another veteran defender working his way back from injury is cornerback Jonathan Jones, who underwent offseason surgery.

Jones missed three games with an ankle injury early last season, then dealt with a lingering knee ailment. He played through the latter, starting the final 13 games for New England.

“(I feel) good,” Jones said. “I just wanted to get that taken care of. I dealt with it all last year and kind of wanted to come out and start fresh and be healthy.”

Jones’ recovery has limited his participation this spring, resulting in increased reps for players like Alex Austin, Isaiah Bolden, Marco Wilson and Azizi Hearn. The 30-year-old Jones projects as a starter at outside corner, his primary position for the last two seasons after manning the slot earlier in his career.

Extra points

The Patriots claimed rookie linebacker Steele Chambers off waivers from the Lions and waived rookie linebacker Jay Person in a corresponding roster move. Chambers went undrafted out of Ohio State this spring … Patriots players are excited to welcome Tom Brady back to Gillette Stadium on Wednesday for his jersey retirement ceremony. “It’s gonna be dope,” offensive lineman Mike Onwenu said. “A lot of old guys coming in. There’s gonna be a lot of new faces and a lot of old faces, so it’ll be good to talk to them and just pick their brains, and see Tom for sure.” … Onwenu has been the Patriots’ top choice at right tackle since midway through last season, but he saw time at his old right guard spot during Monday’s minicamp practice. Why? “Pretty much just getting the best five on the field,” he said Tuesday. “I’ve obviously played guard before, so they wanted me to just practice a little bit of both just in case.” … The Celtics will play Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday in Dallas. Jones’ prediction: “I feel a sweep coming.”

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