One of the names that Lions fans have been buzzing about as a potential acquisition to help bolster the pass rush is now off the market. Matthew Judon, a Detroit native and product of Grand Valley State University in Michigan, is heading from the Patriots to the Falcons.
Judon is a four-time Pro Bowler and bagged 15.5 sacks in his last full season in New England in 2022. At 270 pounds and a speedy 6-foot-5 build, Judon definitely fits the mold of what the Lions like at the EDGE position, though there was never even one iota of evidence that Detroit or GM Brad Holmes had any interest in trading for him.
Judon, now 32, missed most of last season with an elbow injury. He was embroiled in a hostile contract dispute with the Patriots, one that the rebuilding Patriots wanted washed from their hands.
The Falcons flipped a third-round pick in 2025 for Judon. The Lions don’t have a third-round pick next year, having already dealt it to select offensive lineman Giovanni Manu in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. But again, all indications are the Lions were never going to be involved in any deal for Judon.