The Washington Commanders are loaded. But there is always opportunity to upgrade, especially on their defensive line.
That’s why a the Commanders are being linked to Matthew Judon, a veteran game-wrecking EDGE rusher who is just two seasons removed from a 15.5-sack campaign as a member of the New England Patriots.
Judon had 5.5 sacks last season with the Atlanta Falcons but is a free agent after completing his four-year, $54 million deal that he signed with the Patriots. The 33-year-old has 72 sacks in 131 games between the Falcons, Patriots and Baltimore Ravens.
Why Should The Commanders Target Matthew Judon?
If you believe the FanSided blog “Riggo’s Rag,” Judon is a flier worth taking since he is better than any other pass rusher on the Washington roster. He is a four-time Pro Bowler and finished ninth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2022.
At the moment, barring an upgrade, Washington appears poised to run out Deatrich Wise Jr and Dorance Armstrong as their starting EDGE rushers. Wise and Armstrong have combined for fewer sacks (62.5) than Judon in more than 400 more games.
“On his best day, Judon represents a significant upgrade on anything Washington has in its edge-rushing room right now,” blogger Dean Jones wrote Wednesday. “Asking him to return to his 2021-2022 form is a major stretch. But if the proven performer can make a difference against the run while also generating pressure consistently when called upon, it’s a risk well worth taking.”
If not Judon, Jones pointed out fellow free agents Jadeveon Clowney or Za’Darius Smith are also available. Clowney, like Judon, had 5.5 sacks for an NFC South team in 2024, the Carolina Panthers.
Smith finished his season with the Detroit Lions last season — after they acquired him from the Cleveland Browns — and finished with nine sacks between the two teams.
Why Do The Commanders Need An EDGE Rusher?
Teams pay a steep price for game-wrecking EDGEs, since the likes of Travon Walker, Aidan Hutchinson, Will Anderson Jr. and Chase Young have been selected in the top-three picks since 2020. Myles Garrett, the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, just signed a five-year, $125 million contract to stay with the Browns this off-season.
The perceived value stems from the EDGE rusher’s ability to wreck the game.
Look at what happened to Patrick Mahomes in the two Super Bowls he and the Kansas City Chiefs have lost — Super Bowl LIX and Super Bowl LV. Mahomes was running for his life against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles in blowout losses in those games.
Few teams can compete for a conference championship, let alone a Super Bowl, without a good pass rush. Even Washington general manager Adam Peters must understand that and should be targeting an upgrade after 10.5-sack performer Dante Fowler left Washington for the Dallas Cowboys in the off-season.
Still, Peters did not target an pass rusher in the draft either, and Judon would come cheap for a team that should be all-in on winning in 2025.
“Perhaps Judon is waiting for the right call to come along. Perhaps the NFL has given up on him entirely,” Jones wrote “Either way, it wouldn’t cost the Commanders much to find out if there is something left in the tank.”
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