Patriots deal Pro Bowl LB Matthew Judon to Falcons #patriots #falcons #nflfootball #nfl

The Atlanta Falcons landed the pass rusher they've been seeking for years.The New England Patriots are trading top running back Matthew Judon to the Falcons for a third-round draft pick. Judon had not been practicing during training camp as he was seeking a new contract for 2025.The Falcons and Judon have not yet finalized a contract for next season, but plan to work toward one before the start of the season.Judon, who turns 32 on Thursday, is a four-time Pro Bowler who had a career-high 15.5 sacks in 2022 after a 12.5-sack season in 2021. He missed most of last year with a torn biceps.The Falcons haven't had a double-digit sack leader since Vic Beasley in 2016, which corresponds to their last Super Bowl appearance. Atlanta lost defensive back Bralen Trice, a third-round draft pick, for the season due to a knee injury suffered last Friday night in a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.