The New England Patriots have traded four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a third-round draft pick, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press.
The person spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the teams have not yet announced the transfer.
Judon had 28 sacks in his first two seasons with the Patriots before finishing with four in four games last year when he was limited by injuries.
Judon, who played at West Bloomfield High and Grand Valley State, became available due to a contract dispute. He has a base salary of $6.5 million this season and is seeking a new contract.
“I signed the contract. My signature is on it, so I got to play. Do I think that’s my value? No. But, again, that’s not on me,” Judon said last month. “I hope I can continue to play here and be a catalyst for one of the best defenses in the league. If that’s not the case, that’s not the case. It’s hard not to be jealous or envious. But honestly, I have to focus on myself. As much as everyone wants me to stay here for a long time, it’s not on me. I would pay myself a lot of money and be cool with it.”
The Falcons needed a pass rusher to bolster a defense that hadn’t had a player with double-digit sacks since Vic Beasley’s 15 1/2 in 2016.
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Judon, who turns 32 on Thursday, played his first five seasons in Baltimore. He had 34 1/2 sacks for the Ravens and appeared in two of his four Pro Bowls. He thrived in Bill Belichick’s defense in New England, setting a career-high with 15 1/2 sacks in 2022.
The Falcons sought the trade for Judon after losing rookie edge rusher Bralen Trice to a season-ending knee injury in their first preseason game in Miami.
Trice, a third-round pick from the University of Washington, was competing for a spot in the starting lineup after issuing the most quarterback pressures in the nation over the past two seasons.
Before his injury, Trice was listed as the second outside linebacker behind Arnold Ebikeite.
Now it is Judon who will take on an important role in the pass rush in the Falcons’ defense.
