New England Patriots News & Rumors

The torn bicep which forced Matt Judon to exit New England’s Week 4 loss will lead to surgery and an extended absence. The team’s top edge rusher will undergo surgery on Wednesday, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

As Schefter notes, Judon’s intention is to return at some point this season. For the time being, though, he will be out indefinitely. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds that the 31-year-old will be sidelined for at least the next two months, an absence which be acutely felt along New England’s defensive front.

Judon has earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of the past four years, making his transition from the Ravens to the Patriots a smooth one. The former fifth-rounder racked up 28 sacks in his first two years in New England, giving him leverage in asking for a raise in term of 2023 compensation. His restructured pact upped his earnings for this season, giving him $14MM in guaranteed money. With 2024 still the final year of his contract, however, there was an expectation another strong campaign would lead to a new round of extension talks.

In the early going, Judon was well on his way to another productive season with a team-leading four sacks. He added 11 pressures and five tackles for loss in his three-plus games, putting him on track to secure either another lucrative restructure or a new multi-year pact in the offseason. In the wake of this injury, however, Judon’s bargaining position will no doubt be negatively affected.

The Patriots have registered six sacks so far from players other than Judon, so missing the latter for an extended stretch will put considerable strain on their edge rush group. Former second-rounder Josh Uche, who is in a contract year and posted 11.5 sacks last season, will be counted on to repeat his 2022 performance without Judon in the fold. New England currently has just over $4.2MM in cap space, meaning the team could afford a low-cost addition amongst the league’s remaining unsigned edge rushers. No member of that group would be able to replicate Judon’s impact, however, as the Patriots look to rebound from Sunday’s lopsided defeat.

The Patriots might have been dealt a significant blow today in what was already a tough day with an extremely one-sided loss in Dallas. During the game against the Cowboys, star pass rusher Matt Judon suffered an injury that could affect him for a significant portion of the season. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Judon suffered a lower biceps tendon tear that is expected to sideline him for some time.

Judon would be a significant loss for a Patriots defense that has routinely depended on him as their source for pressuring the quarterback since he arrived in 2021. During his first season in New England, Judon led the team in sacks with 7.5 more than the next closest defender, setting a career-high for himself of 12.5. Last year, Judon once again led the team with a new career-high 15.5 sacks while being joined in double-digit totals by Josh Uche, who had 11.5.

This season has been more of the same for Judon who currently leads the team with four sacks, three more than anyone else on the team. The Patriots are already dealing with a litany of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, so if Judon is forced to miss significant time, New England may be scratching the bottom of the barrel for replacement options.

On the team’s depth chart, Anfernee Jennings and Chris Board are listed behind Judon as weakside linebackers. Board is a career special teamer who, through hard work, was able to earn some defensive snaps during his time in Baltimore and Detroit, but so far, the Patriots have only utilized him on special teams. Jennings, on the other hand, has never proven to be much of a pass rusher since being drafted in the third round three years ago, only amassing 1.5 sacks over his career.

While a diagnosis has already been determined, according to Schefter’s report, the severity of the injury is still to be determined by an MRI that will likely take place tomorrow. While Judon and the Patriots will have their fingers crossed for good news, similar injuries have had a history of being season-ending. Hopefully, Judon’s scans come back hinting at the possibility of a return this season, but in the case that they don’t, Judon will surely be thankful for the recent adjustment to his contract that increased his guaranteed earnings over the next two years.