Patriots did favor for Matthew Judon by trading him to Falcons?
Dec 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon (9) greets fans before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Things went sour between Matthew Judon and the New England Patriots toward the end of Judon’s time there, but the Patriots reportedly still did him a favor when trading him away.
The Patriots were offered a third-round pick for Judon by both the Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears, according to Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston. The Patriots ultimately took Atlanta’s offer because Judon reportedly preferred to go to the Falcons.
It may be a bit surprising to see that the Patriots accommodated Judon like this, as Judon and the team clearly had some issues. There was no real reason for the Patriots to spite Judon, however, especially since there isn’t really a pronounced difference between the Bears and Falcons with regard to how valuable that pick might be.
Judon had four sacks in four games last season before suffering a season-ending biceps injury, but had made clear he was in the hunt for a new contract. The Falcons have yet to give it to him, but if Atlanta is where he wanted to be, that might be less of a problem than it initially looks.
