The more days that go by in the New England Patriots offseason, the closer the team is to training camp. July is rolling along, and before Patriots fans know it, football will be back. A much different rendition of Patriots football will take the field for their first preseason game under Mike Vrabel in exactly one month, on August 8th.
There is a certain buzz around the New England Patriots that wasn't there for the latter years of Belichick's tenure and the lone season with Jerod Mayo. This year's excitement stems from a proven leader in Vrabel, a promising quarterback in Drake Maye, and a Patriots defense that was built in the offseason to be among the NFL's best.
To improve last season's mess on defense, Vrabel hired his former assistant in Terrell Williams, to coordinate the Patriots' attack. Both coaches know a thing or two about what a good front seven should look like, and the duo made moves in the offseason in hopes of getting after the quarterback this year and down the line.
After finishing dead last in sacks (28) in 2024, Vrabel added Milton Williams, Harold Landry, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Robert Spillane in free agency to bolster the trenches alongside Keion White and Christian Barmore. With the right moves made on that front, there is always room for more depth, especially with the way Vrabel and Williams want to scheme up the defense.
Just a couple of years ago, this former Patriots linebacker was the team's leading sack man and a fan favorite among the Foxborough Faithful. Now, he's without a job just two weeks before training camp begins in 2025. As there seem to be no takers at the moment for Matthew Judon's services, the Patriots should be the team calling for a reunion, or at least an invite back to Foxborough for training camp.
Patriots Should Reunite with Matthew Judon Ahead of Training Camp
In three seasons with the Patriots, Judon recorded 32 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, and 62 QB hits en route to two Pro Bowl selections. Known for his long red sleeves and relentless pursuit of the quarterback, Judon sits at No.11 on the all-time sack list for New England.
After a 15.5 sack season in 2022, Judon was on the right track (4 sacks in 4 games) in 2023 before suffering a season-ending torn bicep injury in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately for the Patriots, this would be Judon's last game with the team.
In hopes of a contract extension, Judon showed displeasure with the Patriots front office as they refused to give him one. This led to the Patriots trading Judon to Atlanta in training camp of 2024, where the 32-year-old would play out the last season of his contract.
The trade ultimately brought in a potential star in Jared Wilson for the offensive line, as well as Bradyn Swinson. If the Patriots could ultimately get back what they gave up, that would be a massive win for the franchise.
The Final Return for Matthew Judon:
After trading away pass rusher Matthew Judon, here’s what the Pats ended up with:
•Jared Wilson – Center (95th overall)
•Bradyn Swinson – EDGE (146th overall)
•2026 4th-Round Pick (via Chicago)
BIG TIME WIN 🥇 pic.twitter.com/jrdhXAhp3Y
— Pats-Planet.com 🪐 (@patsplanetmedia) May 8, 2025
Judon's lone season with the Falcons would lead to 5.5 sacks in all 17 games played, but he saw a decline in snap count (59%) after coming back from the bicep injury. Now, he's one of the last big names to remain without a deal in 2025.
Of course, if the Patriots were to bring in Judon for a second stint, he wouldn't have the impact he did in years past. He's going to be 33 before the season starts, but if Terrell Williams is as dedicated as he says he is in terms of pressuring the quarterback, Judon could be considered a rotational pass rusher.
Entering the latter stages of his career, Judon could be brought in on a short-term deal around $3-4 million annually. If it's not the Patriots, Judon should certainly garner interest from teams as an injury replacement during or after training camp concludes.
After an ugly breakup nearly one year ago, bringing Judon back on the defensive line would add even more excitement to this season for Patriots fans.
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