The New England Patriots made out like bandits when they moved on from Matthew Judon, sending him to the Atlanta Falcons for a third-round draft pick. It was a smart move considering the Falcons failed to make the playoff push many expected, and Judon, coming off an injury-riddled season, was never at full strength.
Now, the Patriots have an opportunity to reinvest that draft capital and their abundant salary cap space into improving the pass rush.
Pass-rushers are among the most valuable assets in the NFL, and with over $120 million in cap space, the Patriots don’t need to play the waiting game in free agency.