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Patriots trade four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Matthew Judon to Falcons
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- Patriots trade four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Matthew Judon to Falcons
More major changes are afoot for the New England Patriots .
The team has agreed to trade four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a third-round pick. The deal became official Thursday.
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Judon and the Falcons did not agree to a contract extension before the team agreed to the trade, according to ESPN and NFL Network.
Judon, who turns 32 on Thursday, is set to make a base salary of $6.5 million in 2024, the final year of his contract. He had been seeking a new deal from the Patriots. Judon was seen having an animated discussion with Jerod Mayo on July 29 while not participating in practice, but the first-year Patriots coach said on Aug. 1 that the two sides had a "great conversation" and were "moving forward."
In landing Judon, the Falcons add another marquee piece after signing quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract this offseason. The outside linebacker will be expected to spark a defense that ranked last in ESPN's pass rush win rate metric in 2023. Atlanta's edge rush took a hit last week when third-round outside linebacker Bralen Trice suffered a torn ACL in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins .
Judon played in just four games last season before a torn biceps ended his season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in every season from 2019-22, recording 43 ½ sacks during that span.
New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon (9) celebrates a sack of New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) for a safety.
Judon's departure marks another significant loss for the Patriots as the team navigates its first season with coach Jerod Mayo replacing Bill Belichick. Standout defensive tackle Christian Barmore is also out indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matthew Judon trade: Falcons land star edge rusher from Patriots
