Matthew Judon will not be easy to replace for the New England Patriots.
Arguably the team's best player, a contract dispute and a developing future direction led the Patriots to trade the Pro Bowl defender to the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday for a third-round pick.
In a move that puzzled some, New England executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf discussed how the deal came together for the Patriots.
"These decisions are never easy for us," Wolf shared on the Patriots' preseason broadcast with Scott Zolak, Devin McCourty and Jason McCourty. "With Matthew, who's a core guys and one of our better players.