The New England Patriots had contact with several teams interested in the outside linebacker before deciding to trade Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons.
Four other teams were reportedly involved at one point: In addition to the Falcons, who ultimately took Judon in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans also had contact with the Patriots.
The Bears were the most competitive of the four teams — Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported they also offered a third-round pick for Judon — but New England thought the Falcons’ pick was ultimately the better option.
Judon, who turns 32 on Thursday, spent the past three seasons in New England. The former fifth-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens joined the team in 2021 on a four-year, $58.5 million free agent contract.
Judon quickly became an impact player with his new team, earning Pro Bowl selections in his first two seasons with the Patriots. A shoulder injury limited him to just four games in 2023, but he still entered this offseason as one of the team’s few blue-chip players. That status was not reflected in his contract, however, and Judon was due to make just $6.5 million in base salary in 2024.
That created an impasse between the veteran defender and the club as he sought a new contract, which led to the team seeking to sell Judon.
After all, it seems he created a pretty vibrant market.