Falcons trade Matthew Judon amid NFL rumors

Transfer rumors in the NFL are heating up and no one can deny the excitement surrounding potential trades from various teams as they prepare for the upcoming season. This month, the Atlanta Falcons made headlines when they acquired edge rusher Matthew Judon from the New England Patriots for a third-round pick. The deal, announced Thursday, appears to significantly strengthen the Falcons' defensive line and underscores their commitment to improving team performance as they push for playoff contention.

Matthew Judon, who has had ups and downs due to injuries, is coming off a season in which he played in just four games, but those games resulted in four sacks, bringing his impressive career record to 66.5 sacks in 114 games. The Patriots had already tried to restructure his contract, increasing his guaranteed salary from just $2 million to $14 million, but it seems they aren't willing to go any further after he repeatedly asked for more money last offseason. Judon downplayed the transfer rumors earlier this year, explaining, “I have to, honestly, I signed a contract, my signature is on it, so I have to play. Would I want to do that? No. Do I think that's my value? No. But again, that's not up to me.”