Should Bears go after Matt Judon this offseason? |
If you watched Hard Knocks over the summer, you know the Chicago Bears tried to sign pass rusher Matt Judon before this season started. Judon would not sign a long-term deal with Chicago, so general manager Ryan Poles did not pursue a trade with the New England Patriots for him.
But now, Judon is set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this offseason. He does not seem interested in signing a long-term deal with his current Atlanta Falcons team. So, Chicago should have a chance at signing him with Judon and will agree to a long-term deal now that the coaching staff has undergone some significant changes, including a new head coach in Ben Johnson and a new defensive coordinator in Dennis Allen. Judon was originally a fifth-round selection by the Baltimore Ravens in 2016. He saw minimal action in his rookie season before becoming a critical piece to Baltimore’s defense in 2017. However, his breakout season was in 2019 when he recorded four forced fumbles and 9.5 sacks, which garnered his first Pro Bowl selection. Judon would be elected to the Pro Bowl for the next three seasons, including his first two seasons with the New England Patriots. In 2022, his last full season with New England, he recorded a career-high 15.5 sacks and was ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. In 2023, he suffered a torn lower biceps injury, ending his season after only four games. During that time, he recorded four sacks and his second career safety. Going into this past season, Judon was looking for a new contract with the Patriots, and instead, they wanted to trade him. While Chicago was in the running at that time, Judon was not interested in signing a long-term deal, so he is now set to become a UFA after his one year with the Falcons. His year in Atlanta did not help his resume. Despite playing in every game, Judon only played on 59 percent of the defensive snaps, his lowest percentage in games he has been able to play in since his rookie season. In his 655 snaps on the field, Judon had his first career interception and first touched, although he only mustered 5.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits. Looking at his Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades, his pass rush grade was an underwhelming 53.9, his run defense grade was 53.6, and his overall PFF grade was a dismal 43. These grades were below average and below his usual performance. He will be 32 when the 2025 season starts, so maybe last year was a sign that his production is declining. However, these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt. Atlanta’s defense last season was poor, and Judon did not have much talent around him. If he were on a roster like Chicago’s, where he could work alongside edge rusher Montez Sweat and some additional pieces the Bears need to add this offseason, then perhaps Judon would resemble his 2022 performance. When Judon signed his contract with the Patriots, he earned an average salary of $13,625,000 yearly. Poles wanted to sign Judon to a long-term deal, meaning his contract would probably be three or four years. Any contract with the Bears would probably require a pay increase, perhaps to $14.5 million per season. Chicago has nearly $66 million in cap space to work with. If the Bears are confident Judon can return to his 2022 performance instead of how he played in 2024, this may be a worthy gamble to improve Chicago’s defense and pass rush significantly.
