The Patriots' division rivals have been a little noisier than usual over the past few seasons. After former GM Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh built a strong team that needed a quarterback, they acquired Aaron Rodgers, who they later moved on from after two seasons.
This offseason, they added a new signal caller in Justin Fields, and look to make the playoff push that stopped dead in the water last season after going 1-9 during the meat of the year. The team lost Haason Reddick after he held out, and he eventually registered only one sack for the entire 2024 season, leaving Will McDonald IV, Jermaine Johnson, and Michael Clemons as the top threats on the edge. McDonald played well last season, recording 10.5 sacks.
Johnson is a former first-round pick who missed most of 2024 but had a solid 7.5 sacks in 2023. Meanwhile, Clemons has been a reliable backup, missing just two games in three seasons, with 4.5 sacks to his name in 2024.
While this is an okay crop, and the team does have Quinnen Williams on the inside, Sports Illustrated's Pat McAvoy suggests the team add former Patriots star Matt Judon.
The Jets wouldn't be getting the Patriots version of Matthew Judon if they sign him
While there's no doubt Judon still has a role in the league, the soon-to-be 33-year-old isn't the same player he was in New England. Across his first two seasons, he recorded an excellent 28 sacks. In his final year, despite dealing with injury, he still averaged a sack per game.
After being traded to Atlanta for a third-round pick, Judon struggled to match his old production with 5.5 sacks despite a healthy season. His 43.0 PFF grade ranked 194/211 qualifying edge defenders, as well as the personal worst grade of his career.
As great as he was in New England, Judon signing with a division rival wouldn't be the splash it might have been a few years ago. As mentioned earlier, there is no doubt Judon has a role in the league, likely as a specialty pass rusher and rotational piece, rather than as a full-time starter.
Should the Jets add the former Pro Bowler, it would be a fun storyline to play up during their matchups with the Gang Green, but he doesn't seem likely to be a major factor.