Matthew Judon was brought to Atlanta to do one thing: rush the passer. As a member of the New England Patriots, he racked up 32 sacks in two and a quarter seasons and established himself as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
However, he has been a massive disappointment for the Falcons' league-worst pass rush. He hasn't registered a sack since Week 2 against the Eagles and only has one and a half on the season.
Against the Cowboys in Week 9, Judon played a season-low in snaps yet the defense had a season-high three sacks. Head coach Raheem Morris was asked about the decision and his answer proved the coaching staff's diminishing faith in their trade acquisition.
Raheem Morris said Matthew Judon's season-low snap count yesterday was about "finding ways to be more productive" with the Falcons' pass rush.
— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) November 4, 2024
It says a lot when a coach admits a player was on the sideline to get more production. Things are not looking good for Judon with the Dirty Birds.
Raheem Morris' comments intensify the Matt Judon trade disaster
There is no way around it, the Atlanta Falcons' decision to trade a third-round pick to the New England Patriots for Matt Judon has been an absolute disaster. Not only has he failed to live up to his third-round value but he has been one of the worst players at his position.
The Falcons are making the right decision to limit his snaps. Not playing the most effective players would be a disservice to the rest of the team.
Right now, DeAngelo Malone, Demone Harris, and Arnold Ebiketie are playing better than the veteran—not that that says much.
With that all being said, the Atlanta Falcons won't give up on him quite yet. While he has failed to show improvements, they are hoping he is still trying to recover from his season-ending injury and will get his footing once the playoffs get going.