3 Potential Trade Destinations For Patriots’ Matthew Judon

The New England Patriots seem to have a bit of an issue on their hands with their star pass rusher Matthew Judon. Judon has been vocal about wanting a new contract with the Patriots, and while he was present at training camp, he wasn’t practicing and was last seen storming off the field.

Tensions because of his contract situation are seemingly starting to boil over, and the Patriots might have to make the decision to either sign or trade Judon sooner rather than later. As a team that is rebuilding, trading Judon, who is now 31 years old and turns 32 in a couple of weeks, makes a bit more sense than handing him a significant extension.

If the Patriots do elect to trade Judon, he will likely be trying to sign an extension with his new team. Keeping that in mind, here are three potential trade destinations for Judon before the start of the season.

Detroit Lions

The Lions were just one game away from winning the NFC Championship and reaching the Super Bowl last season .Going into 2024, they clearly want to take that next step forward, and getting to the Super Bowl is the goal.

On the defensive side of the ball, there is some room for improvement for Detroit. Pairing Judon with a player like Aiden Hutchinson would create one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFC.

Considering how close the Lions were last season to making the Super Bowl, they should be having an all-in mindset right now. Adding Judon would immensely help their defense and give them a formidable pass-rush.

Chicago Bears

One potential destination for Judon is another NFC North team, and that is the Chicago Bears. The Bears have been working very hard to improve their team on both sides of the ball recently. It started last season when they traded for Montez Sweat despite not being a contender. The decision to trade for Sweat was one for the long term, as they signed him to an extension after acquiring him.

In the NFL Draft, the Bears selected who they hope is their franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams. While the offense for the Bears should be much better, they have a lot of competition in their division. Adding Judon would improve the defense as the Bears gear up in the next few years to challenge the Lions and the Packers.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Another possible landing spot for Judon is the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars are coming off a disappointing 2023 season, and this offseason, they signed Trevor Lawrence to a massive extension. While the Jaguars hope Lawrence can lead the charge on offense, they have been building a strong defensive line.

Pairing Judon with Josh Allen and Travon Walker would create one of the best fronts in the conference and provide them with the talent to get after young quarterbacks like C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson in their division.

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