The writing was already on the wall for Matthew Judon’s exit from the New England Patriots, but that didn’t make the news any less shocking when it came on Wednesday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Patriots are sending the four-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a third-round draft pick.
The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that Judon will be missed. Along with being an incredible talent on the football field, he brought a certain charisma and personality to the team that can’t be replaced.
However, the second thing that comes to mind is how great of a return in compensation this is for the Patriots. They went from a situation where it looked like they wouldn’t get anything for Judon. The veteran linebacker seemed content to play out the final year of his contract and test free agency in 2025.
To go from that possibility to landing a third-round pick should be considered a big win for the Patriots.
Judon being on the roster obviously makes them a better football team. But at what cost? The Patriots would be fortunate to win five games this season, much less morph into a playoff contender. So it wouldn’t make sense pumping a huge chunk of their resources into an aging pass-rusher coming off a season-ending injury.
That isn’t to say Judon’s value couldn’t come elsewhere, such as helping mentor a young roster. But should the Patriots really be burning some cash on a mentor?
Not when they need offensive tackles and a No. 1 wide receiver.
They are also uniquely positioned to be successful on defense without Judon. Anfernee Jennings did well enough stepping up last season, and the team might have a legitimate breakout talent in second-year pass-rusher Keion White.
Oshane Ximines and Joshua Uche should also be able to make an impact on defense. The business side of football is always ugly, and this one hurts even more because Judon was a fan-favorite.
But there’s also the fact that the Patriots were still a solid defensive team down the stretch without him last season. The biggest loss currently for the team is Christian Barmore along the defensive front. That’s the one glaring absence that could create real issues for the defense.
Couple that with the Judon loss and it’s a major problem. The 2024 season will be an uphill battle for the Patriots, but it’s a battle the team knew was coming all along.
Rebuilds are supposed to get worse before they get better, right?
