Patriots Sell High on Star Defender in Projected Trade

The New England Patriots are at the beginning stages of a complete rebuild. Since Tom Brady left town in 2020, the Pats failed to make the postseason in three of the last four years.

Robert Kraft felt that it was time for a change and they handed over the head coaching spot to Jerod Mayo and the GM role to Eliot Wolf.

The Pats re-signed key members on the team in Kendrick Bourne, Kyle Dugger, and Mike Onwenu. They also drafted Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick but they also signed Jacoby Brissett so Maye isn't forced into the starting lineup right away.

Regardless, New England isn't expected to be a serious threat for a few years. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report wrote an article that has eight trades that would impact the playoff race in 2024.

One of those transactions has the Pats trading away one of their best defenders.

Pats News: New England Ships Out A Key Defender

Davenport suggests that the New England Patriots trade EDGE Matt Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 fifth-round pick.

Judon, 31, is entering the final season of his four-year, $54 million deal. He's made it known that he is seeking a new contract but that might not be coming from New England.

The Falcons desperately need help off the edge so a player like Judon makes a ton of sense for them.

In his eight-year career, Judon recorded 369 total tackles, 87 tackles for loss, 66.5 sacks, and logged double-digit sacks in two of the last three years.

Getting two draft picks in exchange for a player who is heading into the last year of their deal is a smart move. Especially for a team rebuilding like New England.

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