Matthew Judon and the New England Patriots have been at a standstill regarding a new contract. Judon is in the final year of his deal and is set to make $6.5 million this upcoming season. The veteran linebacker has made his desire for a new contract known to the public. On Wednesday, the Patriots decided to make a move with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons are close to acquiring Judon in a trade with New England, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. In return, the Falcons are sending a 2025 third-round pick to New England, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
It's not entirely unsurprising to see Judon want a new contract. Since joining New England in 2021, the veteran linebacker has emerged as a star. He has 32 sacks since joining the Patriots, including 15.5 sacks in the 2022 season. However, the now-Falcons star was limited to just four games in 2023. He recorded four sacks in those games.
The Patriots and Judon had an impasse after the 2022 season, as well. However, they were able to resolve that issue without a trade. New England changed his guarantees from $2 million to $14 million for that year.
However, a resolution could not come to pass this summer. As a result, the rebuilding Patriots send the star linebacker to the Falcons. He joins an Atlanta defense consisting of defensive lineman Grady Jarrett and safety Jessie Bates III.
Atlanta had a need to fill with this move, as well. The Falcons recently lost defensive end Bralen Trice for the season due to injury. Trice was a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He helped the Washington Huskies make the National Championship Game last season in a losing effort.
The Falcons are gearing up to try and compete in the NFC South. They had an interesting free agency haul that saw them land one of the market's big names. That was veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who signed a four-year contract.
The Falcons finished 7-10 in the NFC South last season. Atlanta fired head coach Arthur Smith as a result of the poor season. In his place is former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. Morris served as interim Falcons coach during the 2020 NFL season, as well.
The Falcons are making a statement of intent with the Matthew Judon trade. It'll certainly be interesting to see how the star linebacker plays with his new team. And it'll be interesting to see if he can help Atlanta make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
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