Grading the Patriots' trade of Matthew Judon for third-round draft pick

Matthew Judon’s time with the New England Patriots is officially over.

After three seasons, the four-time Pro Bowler was reportedly shipped off in a trade to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2025 third-round draft pick on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The trade came at a time when the Patriots and Judon had apparently reached a stalemate in contract negotiations. New England clearly wanted the talented pass-rusher to return, but the two sides couldn’t agree on a contract extension.

There has been no word on what exactly the Patriots initially offered or even what Judon’s asking price was at the negotiating table. However, one can surmise that Judon likely wanted more than the team was willing to spend on a 32-year-old linebacker coming off a season-ending injury.

The fact that the Patriots were somehow able to turn a hopeless situation into a third-round draft pick should be considered a major win for the team. In all likelihood, Judon would have played out his contract and walked away for nothing in free agency.

Even if the defense hasn’t been completely rebuilt, the Patriots are still a rebuilding football team with an eye toward the future. Trading Judon couldn’t have been an easy decision given how much he’s meant to the team over the last three years.

He was one of their best defensive players and one of the true fan-favorites on their roster. But business isn’t always pleasure, and the Patriots did what’s best for business in regards to the team’s future.

Grade: A-