Since executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf took over the reins of the Patriots’ front office this offseason, the team has placed a major emphasis on retaining the team’s in-house talent.

But there is still more work to be done before the 2024 season begins. Head coach Jerod Mayo indicated that Davon Godchaux’s absence during OTAs was related to the defensive tackle’s contract status. FOX Sports’ Henry McKenna reported this month that outside linebacker Matthew Judon has asked the Patriots for a new contract and that the team has made an offer but that the two sides were not close to agreeing to a new deal.

The Patriots have already signed defensive tackle Christian Barmore, running back Rhamondre Stevenson, center David Andrews and linebacker Jahlani Tavai to contract extensions this offseason. The team retained tight end Hunter Henry, offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, safety Kyle Dugger, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and outside linebackers Anfernee Jennings and Josh Uche, among others, in free agency.

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Judon and Godchaux are both starters and key cogs in the Patriots’ defense, but every situation is different in the NFL, which explains why they haven’t received new deals while so many other players have.

Judon especially is in a unique situation. The Patriots gave him a raise in 2023 but in doing so, they borrowed $3 million from his 2024 salary. That reduced Judon’s 2024 base salary to just $6.5 million and his total cash due to just $7.5 million. His $7.5 million cash figure ranks 40th among NFL edge defenders this season.

Complicating factors even more, Judon, an impending free agent, will be 32 in August and missed most of last season after suffering a torn bicep in Week 4.

Despite re-signing Jennings and Uche and expecting a second-year leap out of 2023 second-round pick Keion White, the Patriots need Judon to make sure their defense continues to be formidable this season. Judon has 32 sacks in 38 career games with the Patriots. He was named a Pro Bowl selection in his first two seasons with New England since coming over from the Ravens as a free agent in 2021.

Even with his low salary this season, adding in a prorated signing bonus, Judon’s cap hit is still $14.7 million in 2024, which accounts for 5.5% of the team’s salary cap. None of Judon’s current salary is guaranteed. The Patriots could adjust his contract by guaranteeing most of his current salary in the form of a signing bonus, providing even more money through a signing bonus, spreading out his cap hits with another void year and adding contract incentives through sacks, playing time or post-season honors.

Judon earned $14.2 million in cash in 2023. Through a signing bonus and incentives, the Patriots could likely match that figure to appease Judon in 2024. Adding in the void year would not prohibitively raise his cap hit in 2024. The Patriots also still have plenty of cap space to spend this season.

Godchaux’s situation might be more difficult to solve. The Patriots knew they would have to fix Judon’s contract after borrowing money from his 2024 salary last offseason. The Patriots already gave Godchaux a raise two seasons ago.

Lawrence Guy went through a similar situation as Godchaux last season. Guy’s contract didn’t get remedied, and he played on his deal in 2023 before getting released this offseason.

Godchaux, 29, is younger than Guy, however. But he’s also already on his second contract with the Patriots, originally signing a two-year, $15 million deal in 2021 before agreeing to a two-year, $20.8 million extension in 2022.

Godchaux’s base salary is $7.15 million in 2024, and he’s due $8.3 million in cash. That figure ranks 35th among interior defensive linemen. His $10.4 APY ranks 30th, and his $11.8 million cap hit is 15th.

It’s difficult to find a player comp for Godchaux to justify giving him a massive new raise in 2024. Nose tackle D.J. Reader, 30, signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Lions this offseason. But Reader is also a more versatile player. Godchaux, primarily a run-stuffer, has 41 total pressures in three seasons with the Patriots. Reader had 34 pressures in 2023 alone with the Bengals.

Godchaux signed a similar hefty extension just two years ago. He simply already received most of that money through his signing bonus and 2023 base salary.

The Patriots have done a great job of making their own players happy this offseason, but they can’t appease everyone. If Godchaux does get a raise in 2024, it would make the most sense to make it incentive-laden.

The Patriots don’t have another nose tackle of Godchaux’s caliber on the roster, and there are no obvious fits available in free agency. At the same time, it could be difficult for Godchaux to get more than $8 million on the open market or with a new team after a trade. It might be in both parties’ best interests to agree to small pay bump in the form of incentives.