Judon has the fourth-most sacks in the NFL since joining the Patriots in 2021. He’s the only true star on New England’s roster and the engine of its defense.
Gonzalez isn’t nearly as established, but his career is off to a phenomenal start. The first-round draft pick navigated a gauntlet of top-tier receivers to earn NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors for September and help the Patriots’ defense survive injuries that sidelined fellow corners Jonathan Jones, Jack Jones and Marcus Jones for multiple weeks.
Neither player will be easy to replace. But doing so will be imperative if the Patriots, who rank 31st in the NFL in scoring through four weeks, hope to be at all relevant in the AFC playoff race.