The Atlanta Falcons have reportedly acquired Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon in a trade that sent New England a third-round pick in 2025. Judon has been a dominant presence over the last three seasons and represents a major upgrade for the Falcons on defense.
The trade isn’t yet official but it appears Judon is ready to move on to his new NFL home in Atlanta. He shared an image of a map headed to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on his latest Instagram story. See below, as shared by NFL reporter Jordan Schultz:
Matthew Judon’s new IG story! 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/l46eVBnAQg pic.twitter.com/ELSUv7Cdvu
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 14, 2024
The Falcons will have to do some work on their salary cap to complete the trade but it’s still a relatively low cost to add a top-level NFL edge rusher. Judon, who turns 32 on Thursday, has registered 66.5 sacks over his eight seasons in the league.
Judon’s best season came in 2022 when he recorded a career-high 15.5 sacks for the Patriots. He only appeared in four games last season and still racked up four sacks.