This offseason, the New England Patriots added some much-needed talent to their defensive line. New England signed pass rushers Milton Williams, Harold Landry and K'Lavon Chaisson. Though players like Williams and Landry haven't seen much preseason action, the Patriots' pass rush looked good in their second preseason game.
In their game against the Minnesota Vikings, New England's defense recorded four sacks. While they failed to record a sack in their first preseason game, gathering four is a good sign that things are changing. That said, one former Patriots pass rusher is expected to sign with an AFC East rival.
According to Aaron Wilson, the Miami Dolphins are expected to sign Matthew Judon on Monday. Despite Judon looking past his prime, seeing a great player for your franchise go to a hated division rival is always a bad feeling
Four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Matthew Judon set to meet today with #Dolphins and is expected to join them, barring anything unforeseen, per league source. Judon, 32, has 72 career sacks, 5.5 last year for #Falcons previously #Patriots #Ravens @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/veh1A4LfRs
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 18, 2025
Former Patriots Edge Rusher Matthew Judon Joining the Miami Dolphins
New England remembers Judon because of his dominance in two out of three seasons with the franchise. In 2021, the 32-year-old recorded 60 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 37 QB hurries and 63 QB pressures. That production earned him a Pro Bowl appearance.
The following season, Judon tallied 60 tackles, 15.5 sacks, 14 QB hits, 38 QB hurries and 69 QB pressures. His performance once again earned him a Pro Bowl appearance alongside an All-Pro selection and votes for Defensive Player of the Year.
Unfortunately, Judon's run ended in 2023, playing only four games due to injury. Still, he recorded four sacks in his limited action. Be that as it may, New England still opted to trade Judon to the Atlanta Falcons heading into the 2024 season.
That turned out to be the right decision as Judon recorded just five sacks, three quarterback hits, 16 QB hurries and 25 QB pressures in 17 games last season. The 32-year-old's massive decline in production should mean Patriots fans aren't too worried about what he can do on the Dolphins.
Even so, if he is able to recapture even a little bit of what made him dominate in New England, Judon could be a problem for Drake Maye and the AFC East again.