Last offseason, the Atlanta Falcons thought Matthew Judon was going to be the man to solve their pass-rushing woes. They sent a third-round pick to New England in order to acquire him, but he never came close to meeting the lofty expectations Falcons fans harbored for the former star pass-rusher.
Instead, the 33-year-old lasted just one season in Atlanta before signing with the Dolphins, but quickly fell out of favor on the depth chart. And now, his time with in Miami is ending earlier than expected after being cut, but is expected to draw interest from contenders on the free-agent market.
The #Dolphins are releasing veteran pass rusher Matt Judon, sources tell The Insiders. Judon appeared in 13 games this season for Miami and could be an option for playoff teams looking for a veteran presence. pic.twitter.com/Fq2xAEioLo
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 17, 2025
While Judon logged just three starts this year, Falcons' first-round rookies Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. have out-paced his 2024 sack total through just 14 games this season, which has given fans a glimpse of the anchors in the pass-rush they thought they were going to receive last season.
Former Falcon Matthew Judon was shockingly released by the Dolphins
If he's signed, Judon will suit up for his fourth team in the last three seasons. For a player who made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2019-2022, that's a stark fall from grace. But given the fact his production has plateaued since turning 30 a few seasons ago, it's hard to be surprised about this.
His 5.5 sacks last year were underwhelming, but he still managed to finish second on the team behind Arnold Ebiketie, which is pathetic given the Falcons are second in sacks this season compared than second-to-last a year ago, which makes Arthur Blank's investment (or lack thereof) very worthwhile.
The main reason the Falcons opted not to bring him back had less to do with his play and more to do with their pass-rushing room. They already signed another veteran in Leonard Floyd to replace him, and the pass-rushing room had far more depth after Terry Fontenot finally invested in the DL room.
There very well could be interest for the Grand Valley State product in free agency, especially with the playoffs looming, but it's no secret he's not the player he once was. With that said, EDGE-needy teams like the Bears, Bills, and potentially a reunion in New England could be in the cards for Judon.
He certainly isn't being considered by a Falcons team who's already been eliminated from playoff contention, but this not-so-shocking news should serve as a litmus test for how far the Atlanta pass-rush has come this season since they moved on from Judon.