With less than a month until the 2024 NFL regular season kicks off, we were treated with a massive trade on Wednesday night.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz , the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons came to terms on a deal that sent disgruntled pass rusher Matthew Judon to Atlanta . NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport added that the Falcons parted with a third round pick to land the 32-year-old edge rusher.
Once the early dust settled after the deal was announced, Schultz added another interesting nugget to the report. Schultz noted that multiple teams were interested in trading for Judon and it ultimately came down to the Falcons and the Chicago Bears.
Over the last several weeks, the Bears have been mentioned numerous times as a team that was quietly exploring adding an additional pass rusher to the roster. Until this week, general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus tried their best to keep their intention hidden instead noting they'd rather develop in-house talent. Clearly, the team is looking for some upgrade.
The Bears already made one splash at the position ahead of the trade deadline last season after trading for, and extending, pass rusher Montez Sweat. Sweat made an immediate impact on the defense in Chicago and ever since, the team's top minds started considering the possibility of adding another threat opposite their new star.
That's why it's no surprise to see the Bears mentioned as a team that pursued the four-time Pro Bowler. However, as good as Judon is, the Bears might have dodged a bullet by missing out on this deal.
Bears Were Wise Not To Pull The Trigger On Judon
While adding a player such as Judon to play opposite Sweat would have done wonders for Eberflus' defense in the short-term, it's hardly a long-term option. But, given the current state of the Bears' roster, it's easy to see the team's all-in mindset .
The Bears have the perfect window right now, and the cap flexibility, to easily pull off such a move that would put the already strong roster over the top. But, on the flip side, trading for Judon specifically wouldn't have been so simple.
The 32-year-old is coming off a season where he played just four games after suffering a season-ending injury. That alone is a red flag, not to mention the capital it took for the Falcons to acquire him in the trade. And that's not even the worst part.
The whole reason the Patriots looked to trade Judon was due to a contract dispute that another team would have to inherit. Judon is entering into the final year of his contract and will be looking to sign an extension with his new team. That's the exact situation the Bears have already been through with Sweat and are still currently going through with wide receiver Keenan Allen . Not to mention left guard Teven Jenkins, who is also looking to earn a new deal in the coming months.
Having to work out an extension with an already disgruntled player will just add more problems to the front office's plate going into the season. And no general manager wants to get into a situation like New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas is going through right now with pass rusher Haason Reddick .
Overall, the front office had the right mindset wanting to go all-in on another stud pass rusher, but landing an aging and irritated one wasn't the right move to make. For the time being, the Bears will continue to develop their young talent , but don't count out the front office sniffing around at other potential players who could be available.
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