The Falcons did the unimaginable last night, adding a proven pass rusher in the form of Matthew Judon, who was acquired in a trade with the Patriots in exchange for a third-round pick.
Atlanta saw Bralen Trice go down with a season-ending injury, prompting Terry Fontenot to strike a deal for Judon. The Falcons’ need for a pass rusher was obvious, and the thought was the Patriots didn’t want to give a 32-year-old coming off a season-ending injury a new contract.
Therefore, a deal between the two sides comes to fruition. The assumption was that the Falcons and Judon would agree to a new contract, but that isn’t the case.
According to Jonathan Jones, the expectation is that Judon will play for the Falcons this season under his current deal of $6.5 million with no new deal coming.
New Falcons pass rusher Matt Judon will come to Atlanta without a new contract in hand, sources say, and there's not an expectation one is imminent. He's set to play for the Falcons on his current deal that's paying $6.5 million.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) August 15, 2024
Raheem Morris referenced the Rams acquiring Von Miller.
The Falcons aren't committing to a long-term deal with Matthew Judon. Raheem Morris compared it to the acquisition of Von Miller in L.A. Morris wanted to re-sign Miller after that season, he said. "You never know what these things can turn into but I know what we are getting."
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) August 15, 2024
This is quite surprising. Though the Falcons have a long-term need for a pass rusher like Judon, I can understand the hesitancy to extend him. He’s on the wrong side of the 30, has never been the kind of pass rusher to win 1-on-1’s consistently, and requires a new deal that will pay him between $20-25 million per year.
In that same breath, what the hell are the Falcons doing? Even though Judon isn’t one of the premier edge rushers in the NFL, he’s still the best one this club has had since John Abraham. The Falcons would be wise to give him a new deal to secure his presence for next season and perhaps further.
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