This offseason has been a roller coaster for Falcons fans.
Even the most pessimistic ones couldn’t argue that Kirk Cousins would be a massive upgrade over his predecessors. However, even the most optimistic fans couldn’t buy into the Falcons’ lousy defense just a few days ago.
There were highs and lows, but a few weeks out of the season, expectations were fairly moderate. The Falcons were expected to win a terrible division but not much else. That’s changed this week.
The Falcons saw two defenders go down in their first preseason contest, and it’s forced Terry Fontenot into acquisition mode. He struck a deal with the Patriots, agreeing to a trade that would send Matthew Judon to Atlanta in exchange for a third-round pick, and signed Justin Simmons to a one-year free agent deal.
It’s completely changed the tide in Atlanta. Falcons fans, even the most pessimistic ones, are all seeing the vision. However, there will always be one man who finds something wrong with the move.
ESPN’s Seth Walder has thrown a wet blanket on just about everything the Falcons have done, including the free agent deals of Jessie Bates III, Kaden Elliss, David Onyemata, Darnell Mooney, and Kirk Cousins as well as the draft pick of Michael Penix Jr., so it’s no surprise he isn’t fond of the Falcons trade of Judon.
“The Falcons were desperate. And they also had very little money to work with — the Falcons have just $3.5 million in 2024 cap space (fewest in the league) and $8 million in 2025 cap space before rollovers, of which Atlanta will get almost none,” Walder wrote. “In Judon, Atlanta landed a player that maybe can be part of the solution, with “maybe” and “part” being pretty important words. I have my fair share of skepticism.”
“The case for Judon is that he recorded 15.5 sacks in 2022 (and 12.5 the year before that) and managed 4.0 sacks in an abbreviated four-game season last year. That’s what Atlanta’s buying — Judon’s past sack production.”
Walder also went on about Judon’s contract situation as a concern, similar to the one playing out in New York with the Jets and Haason Reddick. The fact is Judon is the best pass rusher the Falcons have had since John Abraham, and it’s not particularly close. Moreover, the contract situation has already apparently been handled as Atlanta and Judon see eye-to-eye on him playing in 2024 on his current deal.
But no matter what Falcons trade, signing, or draft pick is the topic of conversation, we can always count on the nerd that is Seth Walder to throw a wet blanket on it.
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Photographer: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire
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