Last year, the Chicago Bears beat the Atlanta Falcons to the punch for Washington Commanders pass rusher Montez Sweat, offering the top pick in the second round. Atlanta wasn’t willing to offer a first rounder—justifiably, I might add, given that it would’ve been in the top 15 or so picks even if Sweat had been a transformative player—and thus the Bears landed a terrific player.
Matthew Judon is also a terrific player, albeit an older one than Sweat, and he too became available for trade this year. The New England Patriots fielded a pair of offers they deemed worthwhile for Judon, and once again, it apparently came down to third down selections offered by the Bears and Falcons.