Pro Bowl Edge Rusher Matthew Judon is in danger of a bench and Ravens, Chargers are his next best possible teams. According to multiple reports, the linebacker was one of the most disruptive productive players before landing in Atlanta in a trade from the New England Patriots. New England wanted to build draft capital so this forced them to trade Judon. Despite that, in 2022, he put up over 15 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 42 quarterback pressures.
Originally selected in the 2016 NFL Draft, the four-time Pro Bowler was setting himself up to be one of the most prolific edge defenders in the league in Baltimore. The Ravens didn’t have the cap space to sign him to a contract extension so the Patriots got him on a four-year deal that didn’t last that entirety. However, Judon isn’t finding much success in Atlanta’s defense and that’s no surprising since he’s arguably the only best player on that roster. Plenty of offensive linemen are making his life harder and the Falcons don’t have a lot of top-tier talent to help Judon accomplish his hopes of getting after the quarterback.
Judon only has 1.5 sacks and six quarterback pressures this season. Head Coach Raheem Morris admitted Judon hasn’t been playing his best which led to his first benching but they brought him back quickly to the starting lineup. It shouldn’t be surprising if the Falcons release him before the year. Judon may easily be the best pressure piece that a championship roster needs and this is why the Ravens, Chargers could bring out that same energy from him.
66-Sack Edge Rusher Matthew Judon in “Danger” of Bench – Ravens, Chargers Next Possible Teams
Baltimore’s Biggest Weakness
The Baltimore Ravens have enough firepower in their offensive game to take a trip finally to the Super Bowl with Lamar Jackson under center. The team committed to address the ground game by signing Derrick Henry who’s been ferocious and carrying the momentum. However, they lost several key free agents this past offseason and the team was never able to get some legitimate help to replace Patrick Queen, Geno Stone and Jadeveon Clowney. Kyle Van Noy and Roquan Smith lead the pass-rushing unit but guys like David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh have been struggling to hold their weight.
Baltimore knows how to use old veteran players and Judon returning to the Ravens makes sense for both sides. Meanwhile, the team’s secondary needs a lot of work since guys like Brandon Stephens and Kyle Hamilton have been getting outperformed. Judon’s addition could make life easier for the secondary to figure themselves out and fight for the football. It could ensure that the secondary has plenty of chances to intercept the ball when the quarterback is faced with pressure in the pocket.
Jim Harbaugh’s Experiment
After a slow start, the Los Angeles Chargers are finally finding their rhythm despite a few miscues from their offensive pass catchers. Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey are looking like a legitimate duo and Quentin Johnston is stepping up to show a few flashes. It’s fair to say that the Jim Harbaugh experiment is working as the Chargers sit atop the wild card race and could be a dark horse candidate to dethrone a potential divisional foe. However, growing pains are a part of the lack of experience that the players on the Chargers have in the postseason.
The chances of them going far in the playoffs are slim but signing a veteran like Judon could boost their chances for next season. Khalil Mack is set to be a free agent in 2025 so they need a new replacement while they discover who will be the face of this defense. Judon could easily be that for a temporary role on a one-year deal. There’s no word on what the Chargers will do with Joey Bosa but it may better to release him since he has plenty of injury issues.
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