With the NFL regular season quickly approaching, teams are making final decisions on who will make their opening week roster. Cutting down on 53 men on an NFL roster usually comes with the decision to upgrade at a certain position, and that's exactly what the Atlanta Falcons did on Wednesday when they acquired Matthew Judon.
The 32-year-old veteran enters his ninth year of NFL play and has been one of the top pass rushers in the league over the past couple of seasons. Judon was drafted in 2016 by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round, where he spent five years and recorded 34.5 sacks. From Baltimore, Judon was signed by the New England Patriots in 2021. In just three seasons with New England, Judon recorded 32 sacks, in which he had two seasons in a row with double-digit sacks, 12.5 in 2021 and 15.5 in 2022. In his career, Judon has been nominated to the Pro Bowl four times, named to one All-Pro team, and was mentioned as a DPOY candidate in 2022.
Getting to the quarterback has been a struggle for the Falcons in recent years, and Judon should be able to fit into a struggling Falcons pass rush that only acquired 42 sacks a year ago. Judon will also complement Grady Jarret's inside rushing attack. Arnold Ebiketie and Lorenzo Carter are currently projected to be the starting OLB (edge rushers) on the Falcons roster, but obviously, Judon will take over one of those spots and more than likely the left side where he played in New England. The only primary concern I have with Judon is that he is coming off a season-ending bicep injury, but the hope is he can return to his 2022 form and aid a struggling Falcons pass rush.
To conclude, this is a win for the Falcons (at least for this year). Judon currently holds a one-year deal, and granted, the Falcons don't have a ton of money to deal with. I also understand the frustration of acquiring an older edge rusher who is coming off an injury, but this Falcons pass rush has been flat-out bad and got even worse when third-round pick Bralen Trice will miss his rookie year season with a knee injury. So, getting the upgrade was necessary, and only giving up a third-round pick isn't a terrible price to pay. If Judon performs well, there has to be some hope that the Falcons could give him an extension that won't shoot them in the foot for the future; I like the idea of keeping a talented veteran pass-rusher around while you bring in rookies. We'll have to wait and see how well this trade pays off for the Falcons, but until then, a win will be celebrated in acquiring Matthew Judon.
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