Bears Nearly Acquired Matthew Judon Before Falcons Prevailed

The Chicago Bears have enjoyed a successful offseason so far with the additions of Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Caleb Williams and DJ Moore's contract extension. But Chicago still needs to add one more piece – an edge rusher to complement Montez Sweat. The Bears haven't yet addressed that need via free agency as the trade market recently offered an option in Matthew Judon.

There was a breakdown in the relationship between Judon and the New England Patriots with the four-time Pro Bowler entering the final year of his contract. This scenario mirrored Sweat's last season as Judon could've been acquired at a bargain price with the possibility of signing an extension before he hit the market.

Pairing Judon with Sweat would've given the Bears the talent needed on both sides to pressure quarterbacks, kill plays, and force bad throws. Poles reportedly offered a third-round pick for Judon, which the Atlanta Falcons matched . With similar compensation offers, the Patriots gave Judon the choice of where he wanted to go. He picked Atlanta over Chicago.

Why Did Matthew Judon Pick the Falcons Over the Bears?

Matthew Judon picking Atlanta is a bit puzzling from an on-field success perspective as the Bears are closer to being competitive than the Falcons. However, Atlanta is better equipped to give Judon a bigger payday.

Judon has only been making $7 million annually since 2021. At age 32, he'll likely only get one more opportunity to secure a lucrative contract. Had Judon joined the Bears, living in the shadow of Montez Sweat wouldn't have best positioned him to maximize his next deal. Being the focal point of the Falcons' pass rush will offer him a clearer path to securing the dollar amount he desires.

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