Matthew Judon has gone from sitting atop a flipped-over trash can in Foxboro to soon sitting inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
After a longstanding contractual impasse with the 32-year-old pass-rusher, the Patriots dealt Judon to the Falcons on Wednesday for a 2025 third-round pick, per league sources.
There were several teams interested in acquiring the 32-year-old, according to league sources, including the Bears, whose desire for a pass-rusher led them to offer a third-round selection of their own. The Patriots opted for the Atlanta pick and now own nine choices in the 2025 draft.
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Multiple NFL executives expressed surprise that the Patriots were able to acquire a third-rounder for Judon's services, particularly since the expectation from league executives outside Atlanta was that he'd soon come to terms on a new contract with the Falcons. One general manager used the word "shocked." (Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports that no deal is imminent between Judon and Atlanta, and that Judon potentially could play the 2024 season on his current deal.)
Earlier this offseason, the Jets acquired 29-year-old pass-rusher Haason Reddick -- who, like Judon, was in the last year of his deal and in need of a new contract -- for a conditional 2026 third-round choice that could turn into a second-rounder. It's a similar package to what the Patriots received for Judon, despite Judon being the older player and coming off an injury that limited him to four games last season.
For the Patriots, this was what one league source termed a "prudent" decision.
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Judon would have made New England's defense more formidable in 2024, and the Patriots defense likely will be the engine that keeps games close this coming season. There would have been value in working to keep Judon in order to make that side of the ball as competitive a unit as possible.
But given the organization's trajectory at the moment -- they are projected by several sportsbooks to be among the worst teams in the NFL this season -- trading Judon was about the Patriots prioritizing their future.
Sources close to the situation believed there was the potential for Judon and the Patriots to work out a short-term agreement that kept him in New England. But rather than holding onto Judon and letting him walk this offseason, the Patriots made the move to offload Judon now, securing a valuable pick.
The Patriots made Judon an offer to remain in New England earlier this offseason, but with 32 sacks in his last 38 games, Judon still views himself as one of the league's high-end pass-rushers, and the market at that position has ballooned.
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There was a sizable gap between Judon's expectations and where the Patriots were willing to go financially, per league sources. The top-12 edge rushers in the NFL are on contracts scheduled to pay them over $20 million per year, including Myles Garrett ($25 million per year), Montez Sweat ($24.5 million) and Danielle Hunter ($24.5 million) -- all of whom are represented by Klutch Sports, which also represents Judon.
Klutch also represents Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who reached a lucrative contract extension with the team this offseason. Barmore heads a long list of Patriots who've been re-signed or had their contracts adjusted this offseason that also includes safeties Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers, running back Rhamondre Stevenson, defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, offensive linemen Mike Onwenu and David Andrews, tight end Hunter Henry, edge rushers Anfernee Jennings and Josh Uche, and receiver Kendrick Bourne.
Judon was scheduled to carry a base salary this season of $6.5 million -- which was not guaranteed until Week 1 of the regular season -- after the Patriots moved salary from 2024 to give him a raise last offseason. That set up what became a challenging situation for head coach Jerod Mayo and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, both in their first year in those positions, as Judon made clear that he wanted a new contract.
The situation seemed to reach a boiling point late last month when Judon was not dressed in pads for a fully-padded practice and sat on an overturned trash can on the fields behind Gillette Stadium, watching his teammates go through drills. After a conversation with Mayo, Judon left the field. But he returned and had an animated conversation with Wolf and director of player personnel Matt Groh before leaving once again. He remained away from the facility for the next day of Patriots camp.
Since then, Judon has practiced regularly -- including in full pads against the Eagles on Tuesday -- and Mayo has indicated that Judon was taking part in everything the team expected him to take part in.
While folks in front offices around the NFL were surprised at the return the Patriots received for Judon, neither Judon nor the Patriots are surprised that this stalemate resulted in a trade. Now the Patriots have to hope second-year edge defender Keion White and others can help make up for the loss of a Pro Bowl talent at one of the game's most important positions.