With Michael Penix Jr. under center, the Falcons offense looked like it was capable of being one of the best units in the league. Drake London‘s connection with Penix is already apparent, and it’s going to be must-watch TV in Atlanta next year.
The defense, however, could use some TLC this offseason. A large part of the struggles on that side of the ball was the pass rush, with the primary acquisition last offseason being an abject failure — the Matthew Judon trade.
The Falcons had one of the league’s worst pass rushes, finishing 31st in the NFL with 31 sacks; ironically, only the Patriots had fewer with 28. Atlanta sent New England a third-round pick right before the start of the season for Judon’s services, and it’s safe to say they won that trade.
Just a couple of years ago, Judon finished the 2022 campaign with 15.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and 28 quarterback hits. With the Falcons, the veteran only mustered 5.5 sacks, which really doesn’t tell the entire story. He had a stretch in which he recorded four sacks over six games, some coming of the cleanup variety.
Looking beneath the surface and you’ll see that Judon’s production was disappointing. His nine QB hits were the lowest number over a full season, and his seven tackles for loss were the fewest he’s had in a full season since he was a rookie.
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