Former Patriots LB Matthew Judon to 'Work For' Extension With Falcons

The former New England Patriots edge rusher isn't taking anything for granted on his new squad.

Dec 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon (9) greets fans before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the New England Patriots and Matthew Judon failing to come to terms on a fresh extension, it seems the new Atlanta Falcons defender is joining his new situation with a different approach for his pending contract.

After consistent talks from both the Patriots and Judon on hammering out a new deal before the coming season, nothing quite came to form for either side, ultimately resulting in the four-time Pro Bowler getting shipped off to Atlanta for a 2025 third-round pick. Yet, as the 32-year-old still remains on an expiring contract for the coming year, he seems to be taking it in stride for his first campaign with the Falcons.

During his first press conference this Monday, the former Patriots edge rusher harped on the fact that the Falcons have little information about how he conducts himself as a player or person, and would rather earn his next contract instead of the new deal being on the table and negotiated from day one:

"The Atlanta Falcons know nothing about me as a football player and about me as a man. They really know my previous résumé. So, I can't really demand or ask for anything that I haven't worked for. And that's where I've been my whole life. So, I'm [going to] work for it, man."

- Matthew Judon on extension with Falcons

Judon's stance on his contract in Atlanta looks a bit similar to how he operated during his final days with the Patriots, as he remained diligent in securing that next deal by putting his head down to work and fulfilling in training camp (outside of a couple of missed practices), even if he may be signed onto a contract sitting way below his market value.

He's signed onto a $6.5 million contract for the upcoming 2024 season after a re-structure with the Patriots pushed some of his money forward to previous years of the contract. Those numbers place him as the 30th-highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL, and if you've seen the impact a fully healthy Judon provides, he's a bit more valuable than what his ranking suggests.

Of course, it's not a picture-perfect situation for Judon, but with a strong bounce-back campaign from injury with the Falcons, expect that deserved money to come Judon's way sooner rather than later. As for the Patriots, expect some other young, relatively unproven candidates on the roster to emerge as key pieces in the front seven moving forward.

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