New England Patriots outside linebacker Matthew Judon was notably absent from the team's first full-pads practice of training camp on Monday. Judon, who had been a full participant in the previous four practices, did not take part in the practice session, with his absence center stage as the new coaching regime addressed the situation.

Before practice began, Judon was seen sitting on a trash barrel watching drills when head coach Jerod Mayo approached him. After a brief conversation, Judon appeared animated, exchanged words with Mayo, and left the field. He also had a passionate discussion with executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and director of player personnel Matt Groh, likely related to his public comments expressing dissatisfaction with his contract.

In a recent podcast preview, Judon voiced his frustration, stating, "I love football. I don't love the business of football." He mentioned writing a contract proposal to the Patriots without receiving a response, and expressed unhappiness with his current deal, which includes a base salary of $6.5 million for the final year.

This development follows the news that defensive tackle Christian Barmore, mentored by Judon and recipient of a four-year contract worth up to $92 million in April, has been diagnosed with blood clots and is sidelined indefinitely.

Judon's previous contract dispute during last year's training camp resulted in practice absences until his contract was revised under former coach Bill Belichick's leadership. In a radio interview in June, Judon indicated a reluctance to repeat that standoff, emphasizing a desire to focus on playing after missing significant time last season due to injury.

The Patriots appear to be navigating another contract standoff with a key player, as Judon seeks a resolution to his contract situation while aiming to remain productive on the field for the upcoming season.