The Atlanta Falcons Have Reportedly Acquired Matthew Judon, A Four-Time Pro Bowl Edge Rusher, From The New England Patriots.

The Atlanta Falcons have made a significant acquisition, securing the services of Matthew Judon, a four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher, from the New England Patriots. This news comes from a reliable source with knowledge of the deal, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, as the teams have not yet announced the trade.

Matthew Judon experienced a successful start to his career with the Patriots, amassing an impressive 28 sacks over his first two seasons. However, last year he faced some limitations due to injuries, managing only four sacks in four games.

The availability of Judon arose from a contract dispute, as he is currently seeking a new deal while earning a base salary of $6.5 million for this season.

Last month, Judon expressed his own perspective on the situation, stating, “I signed the deal. My signatures on it, so I got to play on it. Do I think that’s my value? No. But, again, that’s not up to me… If that’s not the case, that’s not the case… As much as everyone would like me to stay around here for a long time, it’s not up to me. I would pay myself a lot of money and be cool with it.”

With the Falcons’ defense in need of a pass rusher, the addition of Judon should provide a significant boost. The team has not seen a player with double-digit sacks since Vic Beasley’s impressive 15.5 sacks in 2016.

Matthew Judon spent his first five seasons in Baltimore, where he enjoyed success, accumulating 34.5 sacks and earning four Pro Bowl selections. His performance reached new heights in 2022 when he registered a career-high of 15.5 sacks under the coaching of Bill Belichick in New England.

The Falcons pursued the trade for Judon after losing rookie edge rusher Bralen Trice to a season-ending knee injury in their first preseason game against Miami. Trice, a third-round pick from the University of Washington, showed promise and was in contention for a starting position after leading the nation in quarterback pressures for the past two seasons.

Prior to the injury, Trice held the No. 2 spot behind Arnold Ebikeite as the outside linebacker in the Falcons’ lineup. However, with Judon now joining the team, he is expected to assume a prominent role in the Falcons’ defense as a pass rusher.