The New England Patriots entered training camp with high expectations that one of the league’s top defenses would help take the weight off the offense in 2024. Now, Patriots’ edge rusher Matthew Judon is floating in NFL trade rumors with teams around the league pushing for a deal.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported on Monday that multiple teams around the NFL have inquired into Judon. The Pro Bowl pass rusher and the Patriots’ front office have been locked in a contract stalemate this summer, prompting questions about his future. With New England in a rebuild and Judon in a contract year, there’s some incentive for the Patriots to make a deal.
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With that in mind, let’s dive into some of the best Matthew Judon trade landing spots.
Arizona Cardinals
On the surface, the Arizona Cardinals making a Matthew Judon trade might seem outlandish. Many still see this as an awful football team that is in the early stages of a multi-year rebuild. Quietly, the Cardinals have the talent to field a top-10 offense in 2024 and the defensive coaching staff is excellent. Arizona’s defense just needs more blue-chip talent. Judon is an outstanding pass rusher who would make the Cardinals defense dramatically better. Plus, Arizona has the money to pay him.
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Baltimore Ravens
Creative photoshops wouldn’t even need to be done. Heading into the 2024 season, it feels like there isn’t enough conversation about the Baltimore Ravens pass rush. Jadeveon Clowney could be replaceable, but it was defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald who made this Ravens pass rush so effective despite not having a blue-chip talent on the edge. Baltimore knows what Judon can do as an edge rusher, he had 93 QB hits and 30.5 sacks in his final four seasons with the team. A reunion with Judon would provide first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr with the true No. 1 disruptor he needs to cause problems on the edge.
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Seattle Seahawks
Speaking of Mike Macdonald, he would also certainly love to have a pass rusher of Matthew Judon’s caliber. The interior of the Seattle Seahawks defensive line is outstanding, but there’s a lot more to be desired on the outside. We already know that the Seahawks offense is playoff-caliber and the secondary is young with high upside. Even with the learning curve of Macdonald’s system, adding Judon to the Seahawks defense would give them a chance to make a playoff run this season.
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Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons wouldn’t need Matthew Judon if they used their first-round pick on a position of need, but that’s for another day. A team with Kirk Cousins at his salary can’t afford to field one of the league’s worst defenses and that is what Atlanta is stuck with right now. The glaring problem, beyond CB2, is the absence of a reliable pass rusher. Judon would immediately become one of the two best players on the Falcons defense, giving Raheem Morris some much-needed help.
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Detroit Lions
If you’re going to compete for a Super Bowl, push all your chips in. We believe the Detroit Lions roster is talented and deep enough to challenge the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC title game rematch. There’s even a strong argument that Detroit could win the Super Bowl as is. But why not add a difference-maker? Matthew Judon would make life immensely easier for Aidan Hutchinson and the interior Lions defensive line. Plus, think of what one of the best pass rushes in the NFL will do for the young Lions’ secondary. If Judon is even slightly available, Detroit needs to make a call.
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