After their Michael Penix Jr. selection, the Falcons tried to trade back into the first round — for the purpose of acquiring a pass rusher. Atlanta is circling back here, doing so via trade. The NFC South team is set to resolve the Patriots’ Matt Judon issue.
The Falcons finalized an agreement to acquire Judon from the Pats, according to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz. As New England has gone through with several pricey deals for veterans this offseason, Judon remains in a contract year and has expressed frustration. He would stand to fill a key need for a Falcons team short on edge rushers.
Atlanta is sending New England a third-round pick for the ninth-year edge presence, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. This will bring an end to an offseason saga that had Judon at odds with the team’s new-look front office. The former Ravens draftee, who produced double-digit sack seasons in his first two Patriots years, is going into his age-32 season.
Both the Falcons’ top sack artists from last season — Bud Dupree, Calais Campbell — signed elsewhere this offseason, and the Falcons were unable to swing a deal that would have landed them one of this draft’s premier edge players. This has been an Atlanta issue for a long time now, as Thomas Dimitroff-era first-round investments Vic Beasley and Takk McKinley did not pan out. In Judon, the Falcons land a proven sack artist — albeit one coming off an injury-shortened season.
It will be interesting to see if the Falcons have a deal ready for Judon, as this otherwise could remind of the situation transpiring in New York. The Jets traded a conditional third-round pick to the Eagles for Haason Reddick but have been unable to bring him in, with a lengthy holdout transpiring due to a contract impasse. One season remains on Judon’s contract, which he attempted to upgrade during his final months in New England. No new contract is in place yet, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
We heard earlier this week teams were calling on Judon’s availability, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports several teams discussed the pass rusher with the Pats. After signing off on several extensions and re-signings of Bill Belichick-era acquisitions, new Pats front office boss Eliot Wolf will move on in exchange for a Day 2 pick. This deal makes sense from both sides, as a rebuilding team will move a disgruntled 30-something in a contract year to a club suddenly readier to win thanks to Kirk Cousins‘ arrival.
A recent report indicated the Patriots made multiple offers to Judon; the ninth-year edge disputed this account. Those alleged offers were not believed to be extensions, and Judon watched the Pats pay other defenders (Christian Barmore, Kyle Dugger, Davon Godchaux) while leaving his contract untouched. The Division II product recently noted that, coming off a significant biceps injury that limited him to four games last season, he was not expecting to draw a top-market number. But he added that he is worth more than his current $6.5MM base salary.
This comes a year after the then-Belichick-led Patriots adjusted Judon’s contract, moving money from 2024 to 2023 and increasing the player’s guarantees last year. Judon could not hit the incentives included in that package, going down early. But the Pats did reward their 2021 free agent signing after he notched 12.5- and 15.5-sack seasons in 2021 and ’22.
Judon signed a four-year, $54.5MM deal as a 2021 free agent, joining the Pats as the team deviated from its M.O. and signed a host of veterans on a pandemic-affected market. The five-year Raven was by far the best of those signings, and the Falcons will bet on him bouncing back from the biceps tear.
Before attempting to trade into the middle of Round 1 for defensive help (specifically edge player Laiatu Latu), the Falcons had tried to obtain Montez Sweat at the 2023 deadline. They offered a third-round pick, but the Bears beat that by sending the Commanders a second. Dupree and Campbell each finished the season with 6.5 sacks before respectively leaving for Los Angeles and Miami. While Atlanta still rosters former second-round pick Arnold Ebiketie (six 2023 sacks), Judon offers an anchor-level presence.
Turning 32 on Thursday, Judon has four Pro Bowls on his resume. The first two came in Baltimore. In 2019, Judon compiled 33 QB hits and ahead of the Ravens franchise-tagging him in 2020. He finished with 28 QB hits during his most recent full season (2022), driving the third-round compensation for a player unsigned for 2025.
Although the Falcons famously passed on hiring Belichick as HC, they will hope one of his former finds can provide a boost for a pass rush that desperately needs it. Judon will now pair with D-line stalwart Grady Jarrett, who recently received full clearance following an ACL tear, for Raheem Morris‘ defense.
Jerod Mayo‘s team, meanwhile, is suddenly shorthanded on the edge. The Pats did, however, draft Keion White in the 2023 second round and re-signed Josh Uche this offseason. With Judon being a rare veteran Wolf did not extend, the Pats will prepare to use that third-rounder to help future squads.
Extend the crap players and traded the one high end player on the team. Not a smart move, he might’ve not been the same after the injury but i dont like this move
He’s 32 and injury prone, this is a very good return
Possibly, but it is interesting to see Godchaux extended and Judon traded. If there was any interest in Godchaux, I’m sure that he would have been moved. The Pats have plenty of cap space, and Judon’s leadership would have been valuable for a rebuilding team. At least the Pats got something here, though, that could be just as valuable long term. Overall, it makes sense, even if other moves make it seem interesting by comparison.
Judon was disgruntled in NE. Time to move him it was…
Pats aint doing anything this year accept positioning themselves for another 1-10 pick.
Judon is excellent but he does nothing for them since they are not going to the playoffs.
I hope Judon does well in Atlanta. He wanted to be paid like a top pad rusher and unfortunately with his injury history it would have been a risky move. He goes to a team in a win now mode
Good move by Atlanta to get a bonafide pass rusher to go with all the kids. Great return for New England for a 32 year old they couldn’t meet terms with.
I’d have to agree, this seems like a somewhat fair trade for both sides. 3rd round pick seems a little steep but we needed it for sure
@braveshomer——I think it pays off
Dude is a baller. I don’t think a 3rd is steep at all. I thought it’d take a 3rd and 4th, and maybe a later round swap.
Yessir but he got to be healthy
I guess that’s my point…3rd round pick for an older player coming off a pretty significant injury while wanting a big pay day. Risky move….but yes he’s a baller for sure
The Falcons should have about the 5th oldest roster after acquiring Judon so they’re not really a team of kids. I guess someone convinced Arthur Blank the franchise is in a “win now” mode…but I’ll need more proof before I’m a believer.
It’s a good roster. They would have won that division going away last year if not for Ridder and Smith’s terrible game management.
To me they seem to be the NFC version of the Chargers…a team that often looks good on paper but always finds a way to underachieve.
I agree
I still am getting a huge chuckle out of the Chicago writers who keep saying the Bears are all in on Judon, Reddick etc. They don’t even have the money to fit one of these guys on the roster without moving people off. Please make it stop. Plus the Bears seem quite happy with what they have.Robinson finally did what he should have done 2 years ago, Added 15 pounds of muscle. Booker and Hardy look like speed rushers. Walker is solid. Why would they need one of these expensive walking injuries? Lemon make them stop please!
Poles created an additional $9M under the cap with the DJ Moore signing, pushing money to future years, giving the Bears over $21M in cap space currently. Additional room could be created by parting with Borom, Homer, Blasingame, Davis. So, it’s curious to me the Bears didn’t “win” the bidding for Judon considering their extra 2nd and most likely 4th from PIT for Fields. Perhaps Poles was only willing to part with a 4th for Judon.
However, it might be better to be picky about which DL to top off the roster since investing a high pick and long term contract will limit their options next year. I’d much rather they spend top tier picks and money for Crosby, Reddick or Jeffrey Simmons, for example.
If the Bears cut Davis they still have to pay him 11 million bucks no matter what.
The only way to save that is to trade him. But I’ll look. I didn’t realize the Moore extension pulled that off.
Trading Davis would save them $9.35M this year, eating only $2M, and obviously saves them next year as well. Perhaps attaching a pick to him could induce a team hurting at OG to take him off their hands. It’s a possible move they could make to fit, say, Max Crosby under their cap were they to gamble big time. Unlikely, but possible.
If anyone has the money and need for Reddick two teams come to mind: Rams or Dolphins
No. The Charger roster isn’t that good. I have no idea what these media people are feeding the public. Why do you think Harbaugh is overhauling almost the whole thing?
Bro no way we got a solid defensive piece let’s go!!!!
Judon is pretty good when he’s healthy…
Yes he adds depth and experience I hope this works out for us
I hope Carolina writes the contract to be heavily dependent on production (realistic) and playing time. Otherwise all the guaranteed money will go up in smoke. As it has for the Patriots the last season and heading into this one. Judon doesn’t care what he signs or how he plays, just that he gets his bag. Paying up front will be a catastrophe.
Nice deal for all parties involved.
Nice!
First Ju Ju Schuster Smith and now Judon. No more Ju for the Patriots.
Thus spoketh the Human Being.
Anthropologist will be shocked to discover the species evolved from a sedan.
The owners are still there :coffee:
Now let’s move one of the backup QBs (Brissett or Zappe) for additional picks!!!!
Zappe is gone no matter what. Brisket just signed. He’s there at least for this year.
I love Brisket, low and slow.
Brissett is QB1 until Maye is ready.
Obviously
I’m getting to the point where I struggle to name too many Patriots players.
Damn here I was thinking it would be easy for the Bucs.
Judon does help ATL if he can stay healthy.
Waaa waaa waaaa
Would have loved it if Ravens would have acquired him
As a Pats fan, this sucks but I understand it. No reason for him to waste his talents on a bottom feeding team. Hopefully he gets a chance at a ring. And Pats get a pick and even worse to help better their draft spot.
Would you be upset if NE gives that newly acquired 3rd round pick to the NYJ for Haason Reddick? Then NE can give Reddick the deal he wants. NE has the money, the positional need, and the newly acquired 3rd rounder doesn’t cost them anything more in draft capitol (NYJ traded a 3rd round pick to PHI for Reddick).
Being a trade within the division could be a deal breaker but if NYJ don’t want to pay him NE could use him.
This is just me BS’ing but it would be a slick move by NE imo.