“Do I want to be traded? Hell nah.” Despite clearly mentioning that he doesn’t want to get traded, the New England Patriots took the major decision of letting Matthew Judon exit after 3 years due to a public contract dispute for weeks. As per reports, both the Atlanta Falcons and Foxborough teams have confirmed the pass rusher’s trade in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. However, that’s not just the scenario with the Pats.

Besides Judon’s unexpected farewell, who was about to get a base salary of $6.5 million this season, Jerod Mayo’s team was also befuddled with their quarterback’s position. Former NFL coach Eric Mangini addressed this situation with NFL analysts Nick Wright, Kevin Wildes, and Greg Jennings on First Things First of August 15, 2024 episode. Mangini highlighted, “It’s a little bit defeatist, isn’t it?….to say go get the quarterback with the third overall draft pick and you’re just tanking without really even seeing that guy play… they have a young quarterback but doesn’t feel that way. So now they move on from Judon.”

He continued highlighting Mayo’s defeatist mentality by saying, “Everybody’s saying okay we’re tanking, usually you tank or you know you you have the impression of tanking because you’re trying to get a quarterback not after you get the quarterback. Now you’re trying to fill in spots to give him the best chance of win and be successful.” So, according to him, instead of tanking, the team should be filling other key positions to give their young quarterback the best chance to win.

Additionally, he compared the situation of how the Patriots handled Mac Jones during his rookie year to how they are currently managing other potential starters like Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye. He pointed out that in Mac’s first season; he had an impressive performance, with a 92 quarterback rating, leading the team to a 10-7 record and even making the Pro Bowl.

Given that success, the former NFL coach suggested the Patriots should approach their current players similarly to how they managed Mac during his rookie season, rather than making drastic changes, like trading Judon. Besides that, now it’s clear that with Judon’s exit, the Pats are rebuilding.

Foxborough is changing!

The Patriots are clearly in a rebuilding phase after a rough 4-13 season in 2023. This was made even more obvious when they traded their star linebacker, Matthew Judon, to the Falcons for a third-round pick. Judon, who signed a four-year deal with the Patriots in 2021, was unhappy with his $6.5 million salary for the upcoming season. Despite attempts to negotiate, no agreement was reached. As a result, his frustration boiled over during training camp when he sat out attending without pads. Now that he will be traded, Jerod Mayo’s team might have to suffer because Judon was a key figure on the team both on and off the field.

It is a big loss for the Patriots’ defense, which has been their strong suit. According to stats, “Judon became a sack master during his time with the Patriots, tallying 32 of them over 38 career games with the club. He registered nearly half of that total during a sensational 2022 season when he recorded a career-high 15.5 sacks.” Additionally, his presence, including his iconic red sleeves and connections with fans, will be missed. Yet, the team saw value in getting a draft pick for a 32-year-old player who was not in their long-term plans, especially after Judon played only four games last season due to injury.

In Judon’s absence, younger players like Keion White, a second-round pick in 2023, will have a chance to step up now. Moreover, the Patriots are also counting on veteran players like Oshane Ximines and Joshua Uche to fill the void. But while Uche had a strong season alongside Judon in 2022, it’s unclear if he can maintain that level of play without his partner.