Should Patriots Be Pleased With Return In Matthew Judon Trade?

Matthew Judon did nothing but produce during parts of three seasons with the New England Patriots, though that chapter appears to have come to an end.

New England reportedly traded the star pass rusher to the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday night in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

When weighing that return for the Patriots, it's important that two things are true in this scenario: Judon produced at a very high level. He's also over 30, coming off of a major injury and had contract disputes in each of the last two training camps.

In the immediate, the Patriots move on from their best player on the roster. That takes away the top defender on a unit that already will be without impact defensive tackle Christian Barmore for an extended period of time. They lose experience and playmaking at one of the sport's most dynamic positions.

With that said, there never truly appeared to be a window where Judon factored into the future for the Patriots after this season. He's a veteran on the back half of his career and should be focused on helping a contender ready to win in the short-term.

Those factors likely outweigh the still capable potential for Judon and his ability to get to the quarterback. That's why it's actually pretty surprising the Patriots were able to fetch a Day 2 pick in exchange for their elite defender.

So, yes. The Patriots absolutely should be pleased with a third-round selection in return for Judon.