It has been the subject of speculation for months now, though it has been on the backburner considering the momentous decisions that the Patriots have been making in recent months and will be making in the coming days. Gone is legendary coach Bill Belichick, in his place is new coach Jerod Mayo. Gone, too, is the Patriots’ free-agency cap-space flood, which did not yield any star players but did yield an improved roster. Now, it’s a matter of what to do with the No. 3 overall pick.
But underneath the many headlines for the Patriots has been the question of what to do with stalwart linebacker Matthew Judon, the four-time Pro Bowler who tore his biceps in Week 4 and did not return for the remainder of the season.
Judon will turn 32 in August, and while there is no question he can still play—he had a career-high 15.5 sacks in 2022 and had four before he went out last season—he is not exactly a smooth fit on the Patriots’ rebuilding timeline.
According to Pro Football Focus, in an article titled, “2024 NFL Draft: Realistic trade predictions for 6 veterans who could be moved during the draft,” Judon is a top trade target between now and the end of the NFL draft this weekend.
Matthew Judon Signed in 2021
Judon was originally signed to a four-year, $56 million contract in 2021 following two Pro Bowl years in Baltimore. His numbers spiked in New England, totaling 28 sacks in the previous two seasons after posting 34.5 sacks in his first five years with the Ravens.
So why trade him? Here’s how PFF’s Marcus Mosher sees it:
“The Patriots are in the process of a full rebuild under new head coach Jerod Mayo. No one is expecting them to compete for the division or a playoff spot this year, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them trade a few aging veterans to teams with a chance to compete. …
“This draft class has a few first-round edge rushers including Dallas Turner, Jared Verse and Laiatu Latu. But the overall depth of the class isn’t ideal. Teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, and New Orleans Saints could all be interested in Judon for a late-round pick.
“Don’t be surprised if the Patriots try to ‘do right’ by Judon and put him in a situation where he can win right away.”
Patriots Projected Return: 4th-Round Pick
There would, no doubt, be several teams with an interest in bringing in Judon, though given his age and recent injury, it is unclear what kind of return the Patriots could get for him. He is in the final year of his contract, and it is worth noting that he was unhappy with that contract last summer and conducted a “hold-in” in which he sat out many team activities until he got a bump up in pay.
Judon is only guaranteed $2 million this season. It is a very tradeable deal.
MassLive’s Chris Mason addressed the issue of Judon’s value earlier this month and pegged it at a fourth-rounder, “An out-of-town comp that might be more on the nose: When the Eagles were selling out for a Super Bowl in 2022, they dealt a fourth-rounder for 32-year-old edge rusher Robert Quinn at the deadline, who was coming off an 18.5-sack season.
“Philadelphia only paid for a half-season of Quinn, but with Judon coming off a serious injury and heading into a contract year at 32, I’d ballpark his trade value right around there: A fourth-round pick.”
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