Falcons Land Mighty Matthew (Judon)
What this trade means for the Atlanta Falcons
On August 14th, 2024, The Atlanta Falcons traded for Patriots Outside linebacker Matthew Judon.
Now on paper, this may not seem like a very big move. Judon only had four sacks last year. If Judon had been on the Falcons in 2023, his four sacks would have been good for third most on the team. He did this in just four games.
Needle Mover
The fact is that Judon is the Falcons' best pass rusher since the John Abraham days over a decade ago. Vic Beasley had his monster 2016 season but never came close to replicating it again. Beasley's 2016 season saw him forcing sacks on an unnaturally high 33% of his pressures. He was not forcing consistent pressure, but getting lucky that his pressure-to-sack percentage was so high.
In 2023, Judon's last fully healthy season, he had 15.5 sacks, which was good for third-most in the NFL. He also added 60 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, three passes defended, and two forced fumbles. He was a stud in 2022.
The star pass rusher has 38 sacks in his last 32 games, recording nearly a sack a game. In seasons he's played 16 or more games he has never recorded less than nine sacks and he made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2019-2022.
The biggest factor is that Judon is coming to a pass-rushing core that is weak. He is a huge upgrade over what the Falcons currently have in their pass-rushing room. Although his age and health are concerns, if he is healthy he should make a huge impact. Regardless, he will be a great mentor for the youngsters Zach Harrison and Arnold Ebiketie.
Judon will also be the best edge rusher in a division that does not feature many premier pass rushers. This move is big for the Falcons who are looking to win the NFC South for the first time since 2016.
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