The New England Patriots are in the beginning stages of a long rebuild, and it’s safe to wonder whether or not an established veteran like Matthew Judon will request a trade rather than deal with another lost season. After starting his career with the Baltimore Ravens, Judon joined New England in 2021 and has been one of the best players of the post-Brady Era. From 2021 to 2022, the edge defender recorded a combined 28 sacks while helping to create one of the better defenses in the game.
Unfortunately, injuries limited Matthew Judon to just four games in 2023. Without him, New England crashed and burned en route to landing the third-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. With Bill Belichick gone, the Patriots are embarking on a long rebuild, and the former fifth-round pick might want to play with a contender in 2024.
While Matthew Judon has not publicly requested a trade, a recent Twitter post makes it clear that he’s looking for a new home. Recently, the edge defender liked a post calling for him to return to the Baltimore Ravens.
Matthew Judon to Baltimore? pic.twitter.com/JfKsKLdA7S
— LastWordOnNFL (@LastWordOnNFL) April 4, 2024
Latest Post Suggests Matthew Judon Wants Trade to Baltimore Ravens
It’s easy to see why Matthew Judon would want a trade to his former team. While the four-time Pro Bowler has been a model teammate for the Patriots, he’s not a part of the long-term vision. Now entering his age-32 season, the edge defender is only under contract for one more season. While anything is possible, it’s hard to envision a world where the Patriots are competitive in 2024. The team has a new quarterback, head coach, and several new weapons to incorporate into the offense, so why would the veteran want to stick around and spend another year on a losing squad?
The Baltimore Ravens, meanwhile, are one of the best teams in the league. While the organization lost a sizable amount of talent in free agency, they will be one of the AFC’s top contenders as long as Lamar Jackson is healthy. With Jadeveon Clowney in Carolina, the Ravens could trade for Matthew Judon and get one of the game’s most efficient pass rushers.
Of course, if Matthew Judon is on the trade block, the Ravens won’t be the only team interested in him. Even though he is on the older side, Judon has averaged roughly one sack per game over the past two seasons. Assuming there are no long-term health concerns, the following teams could make a move for him.
Other Potential Destinations
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs will have a difficult time pulling off the three-peat as currently constructed. This team won with defense last year, and that’ll be harder to do with L’Jarius Sneed on the Titans. With Rashee Rice possibly sidelined for his involvement in the car crash, the defense will be more important than ever. If Kansas City doesn’t trust Felix Anudike-Uzomah to bounce back from his underwhelming rookie campaign, the team could trade for Matthew Judon to form one of the league’s better pass rushes.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars had the fewest sacks in football last year, and they haven’t done much to fix the issue. Josh Allen will return and Arik Armstead is coming to town, but that’s not going to be enough to take down the Houston Texans. This team needs to maximize Trevor Lawrence’s rookie contract, and one of the best ways to do that is with a Matthew Judon trade. If Judon can recapture his 2021-2022 form, then the sky is the limit for this pass-rushing duo.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are all-in with Kirk Cousins, which means they should try and improve their defense. The unit had trouble consistently getting after the quarterback last season, and Matthew Judon should be able to address that issue. If Cousins can fully recover from his Achilles injury, then this team should comfortably win the NFC South with Judon’s help.
Main Photo: Robert Deutsch – USA Today Sports
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