Last season, the Atlanta Falcons had one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL. In light of that, the Falcons added multiple edge rushers during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Atlanta's first pick of the draft was Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker at No. 15. Then, 11 picks later, they traded up with the Los Angeles Rams to select Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
These additions should improve the Falcons' pass rush significantly in 2025. That said, Matthew Judon, the player Atlanta brought in last season to help with getting to the quarterback, still remains on the open market.
Unfortunately for Judon, his chances of being signed before the season starts took another hit on Thursday. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Carolina Panthers released veteran pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney early Thursday afternoon. Now that Clowney is a free agent, Judon has one more player to compete for a contract against.
Former Falcon Matthew Judon's Chances of Being Signed Just Dropped After Jadeveon Clowney's Release
Right before the 2024 season began, the Falcons acquired Judon from the New England Patriots for a 2025 third-round pick. The 32-year-old then went on to have a season that continued to show his regression.
In 2024, he recorded 41 tackles, 7 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, five pass deflections, and one interception in 15 games. Moreover, Judon recorded a 53.9 pass rush grade, a 53.6 run defense grade and an overall grade of 43.0. His performance showed a clear drop-off from 2022, which was the last time he was healthy.
Although both players are the same age, Clowney showed more last season, making him a bit more desirable right now. Even though Judon's chances of signing a contract have fallen with the release of Clowney, he is still likely to find his way onto someone's roster at some point during the 2025 season.