New England Patriots edge defender Matt Judon is one of the biggest names on the trade block. One of the team’s best signings of the post-Brady Era, the former Raven joined the team during the 2021 offseason. Since that point, Judon has averaged close to one sack per game for New England and is now entering the final season of his four-year contract. However, the two sides reportedly are not close to a new deal, as the rebuilding Patriots are wary about investing in a 31-year-old edge defender.
This report comes from Henry McKenna of Fox Sports and fits the tone we’ve heard throughout the offseason. Matt Judon himself said he doesn’t expect to receive an extension from the Patriots, but the trade target looks like he’ll play with New England anyway. However, if he or the team have a change of heart, the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs should be more than willing to give up a late-round pick for his services.
Ravens, Chiefs Could Trade For Matt Judon Admist Stalled Contract Talks
The Baltimore Ravens selected Matt Judon back in the 2016 NFL Draft, so they’d know how to get the most out of him in a trade. While the edge defender had his best statistical seasons with the Patriots, the Grand Valley State product still made two Pro Bowls with the Ravens and recorded a combined 15.5 sacks over his final two seasons in Baltimore.
The Ravens could use another edge defender after losing Jadeveon Clowney to the Carolina Panthers. As of this posting, longtime veteran Kyle Van Noy, former first-round pick Odafe Oweh, and rookie third-round pick Adisa Isaac should be the top three options on the depth chart. While the Ravens could get by with this trio, adding Matt Judon in the trade will give the AFC contenders some much-needed stability at the position. Van Noy is on the older side while Oweh and Isaac are somewhat unproven commodities. If Baltimore wants to return to the Super Bowl, they should try to bolster their pass rush.
Chiefs Add More Defensive Weapons
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year in large part thanks to their great defense. While Patrick Mahomes will always be the primary catalyst for the team’s success, Kansas City’s defense controlled the high-powered attacks of the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and San Francisco 49ers throughout their four-game run to a title. Most of the pieces are coming back in 2025, but star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is not one of them. Rather than trying to replace him with a big-name cornerback like Stephon Gilmore, the Chiefs could take an unorthodox approach and trade for Matt Judon.
Last year’s elite cornerback duo gave Kansas City’s pass rush more time to get after the quarterback. That won’t be the case in 2023, so the Chiefs could trade for someone like Matt Judon who can collapse the pocket and make coverage less important. Chris Jones remains one of the best interior pass rushers in football while George Karlaftis can hold his own on the edge. However, 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah had a rookie season to forget. Judon can provide a reliable veteran presence opposite Karlaftis as the Chiefs go for their third Super Bowl in as many seasons.
Main Photo: Paul Rutherford – USA Today Sports
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