Matthew Judon Drama Suddenly Starts Again at Pats' Monday Practice

Despite it being clear EDGE Matthew Judon was not happy with the New England Patriots due to his contract situation, the veteran seemed to move on from those issues after not making a fuss to begin training camp. Judon said that although he'd like this problem to be resolved, he was prepared to hit the ground running at camp.

Yet, it now appears this roller coaster has taken another turn.

On Monday, Judon was not spotted working out with the team, which was a departure after he decided to not hold out from previous sessions. NBC Sports' Phil Perry said Judon instead watched from the sidelines, and eventually head coach Jerod Mayo approached him for a conversation, but the pass-rusher walked away shortly after.

Judon then talked with execs Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh as the issue escalated up the chain of command in New England.

It's strange to say the least to see Judon's sudden change of heart, Perhaps the fact this was the Patriots' first padded practice made him rethink his contract and long-term financial security, but an injury was still very much possible during the earlier workouts he attended.

New England's decision to hand out extension after extension to in-house players has clearly rubbed some the wrong way, as Judon and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux are among those who have expressed interest in getting paid but haven't to this point.

Of course, NE would certainly like to keep both defenders, but at a price it's comfortable with. They're likely pushing for more than this, causing them to go without deals as Week 1 approches.

This drama does present the first major obstacle for new head coach Mayo to clear. How he handles this problem with an established vet will go a long way toward earning trust from the locker room.

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