The New England Patriots traded Pro Bowl pass rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. The trade came after the Patriots and Judon failed to agree on a contract extension.
In light of the trade of Judon, who missed significant time last season with a bicep tear but tallied 15.5 sacks in 2022, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo brushed off the lack of a premier pass rusher on New England's defense for the upcoming season.
"We've gone years without having a premier pass rusher - Chandler Jones, the Judons of the world," Mayo began. "But we were able to manufacture pass rush through our stunts and games and our game planning. It's not going to be one person. It's hard to sit here and say one person can replace Matthew Judon, both on the field and off the field, but I think we have a good group ready to go and step into those shoes."
What Mayo failed to mention is that the lack of a premier pass rusher in the past came with certainty on other parts of the roster, such as at quarterback with Tom Brady, who won six Super Bowls with the franchise.
The Patriots have unproven players all over the roster, and the trade of Judon just adds more uncertainty.
However, the 2025 third round pick gives New England a chance to continue to rebuild the roster and capitalize on a pass rusher that is still believed to be in his prime. That's the price to pay when a roster is being rebuilt, and Mayo certainly understands that's the cost of doing business - even as a first year head coach.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Patriots' Jerod Mayo Brushes Off Life Without Matthew Judon in Latest Comments.
