The New England Patriots are reportedly trading four-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for a third-round draft pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Judon was in the final year of his contract and failed to agree to terms with the Patriots on an extension, despite being offered a new deal over the summer.
The situation appeared to be headed towards a standstill with the Patriots not receiving a worthy trade offer, and Judon willing to bet on himself by playing out his contract for $6.5 million in 2024.
However, the Falcons stepped in and offered a significant return for the aging defensive star, who is coming off a season-ending biceps injury.
Sources: Patriots are trading Pro-Bowl pass rusher Matt Judon to the Falcons for a third-round pick.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 14, 2024
Judon leaving is a tough loss for the Patriots, but they have the pieces in place to still be an effective pass-rushing team without him.
Anfernee Jennings stepped up last season and became a strong replacement for Judon. Oshane Ximines has had an incredible training camp, and the team also re-signed Joshua Uche during the offseason.
The Patriots had the right players in the pipeline to be ready for this moment.
