Unlikely New Matt Judon Replacement Emerges for the Patriots

The New England Patriots shook up their defense last week by trading four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a third-round pick. Judon racked up 32.0 sacks in 38 games across his three seasons with the Patriots, leaving the fanbase to wonder if anyone on the roster is talented enough to fill his void.

The Patriots will spend the rest of training camp evaluating their options when it comes to a potential Judon replacement. While names like Marte Mapu and Josh Uche are expected to compete for the job, the latest training camp reports suggest that an unlikely name could steal the role.

Patriots Rumors: William Bradley-King to Replace Matt Judon?

With the 53-man roster set to be finalized in just over a week, Patriots insider Andrew Callahan is listing outside linebacker William Bradley-King as one of the latest standout performers. The 26-year-old veteran "was one of the best defenders" during Sunday's practice, which could force head coach Jerod Mayo to put more thought into what he does with him at the deadline.

According to Callahan, Bradley-King terrorized rookie quarterbacks Drake Maye and Joe Milton, sacking the former before pressuring the latter to scramble. The Kansas City, MO native also "badly" defeated first-year blocker Caedan Wallace during a pass-rush drill, increasing his stock in the process.

Bradley-King, 26, was drafted 240th overall by the then-Washington Football Team in 2022. He played four games without a start, registering just one solo tackle and 0.5 sacks across 83 defensive snaps. The former Baylor product couldn't find his footing with Washington, though, spending most of his time on the practice squad before joining the Patriots' reserve unit back in October.

Even though he didn't play a single snap last season, that didn't stop the Patriots from bringing Bradley-King back on a futures contract this offseason. He's clearly liked well enough by the coaching staff and his teammates to warrant a second chance, leaving time to tell if he can capitalize on the situation.

Bradley-King has appeared in both of the Patriots' exhibition games thus far. He played 70 defensive snaps in those outings, recording a tackle with a pair of QB hits. The small sample size has earned him a 67.2 run defense grade on Pro Football Focus, as well as a 48.0 pass rush mark.

The veteran defender's next opportunity to prove he belongs on the 53-man roster will come when the Patriots face his former team — the Commanders — on Sunday. New England heads into the preseason finale as the 1.5-point road underdog, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

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