After the season-ending knee injury to second-year outside linebacker BJ Ojulari, many expected the Arizona Cardinals to make a move to try and bolster their pas rush and outside linebacker position.
While the options in free agency were not ideal, perhaps the most attractive option was making a trade with the New England Patriots for linebacker Matt Judon, who has had 32 sacks over the last three seasons.
He was in a contract dispute with the Patriots entering the final year of his deal and coming off a season in which he played in only four games and had four sacks.
However, the Patriots traded Judon to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons only had to give up a third-round draft pick next year to get him.
Of course, they will now give him a contract extension. Judon turned 32 on Thursday and is coming off a season that ended in injury.
Why didn’t the Cardinals make that deal?
It would have made sense.
The Cardinals lack any proven pass rusher. It is their most glaring need on defense. Judon would have immediately made the defense better.
There were no rumors of the Cardinals even engaging in trade talks. The Falcons reportedly beat out the Chicago Bears for a deal.
However, this trade does sting for many fans. The Cardinals still have done nothing of note at the position other than sign Marquis Haynes, whom they released just days later. Had Judon never been dealt, it would be easy to say that he just wasn’t available. Getting traded to Atlanta, though, means the Cardinals could have gotten him if they wanted, and they apparently just didn’t want to.
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