Patriots continue to prove they won a controversial preseason trade

After an unexciting free agency and a draft class with only a quarterback bringing some optimism for the 2024 season, there wasn't much belief that the Patriots were going to actively look to trade away or for any significant player before the season began. The new regime didn't seem interested in spending much of their cap space and continued to emphasize their trust in the roster they put together.

While it may have been the case for much of the summer, the rise of conflict with Matthew Judon became the headline leading into the preseason, bringing consistent rumors regarding his stance with the team moving forward.

After seemingly coming to a head during one practice with Judon and coaches having words and the linebacker taking the rest of the week off, it wasn't entirely shocking that the Patriots inevitably decided to trade the pass rusher not only because of the contract dispute they were allegedly having but also because he was one of their more desirable assets for teams around the league.

It was a controversial trade that was met with a lot of pushback from analysts and fans, but it was proven early on that it was a good move beyond the impressive compensation they received. On top of that, as the season has progressed, the Patriots look even more like the winners of the trade, which is an unexpected but good development.

Matthew Judon's departure created an opportunity for other Patriots pass rushers to shine

Early in the season, second-year defensive end Keion White was on his way to having a breakout year and looking like New England's perfect Judon replacement. He racked up five sacks in the first two games, firmly putting him on pace for a record amount the rest of the way.

Although that has subsided quite a bit, as most of the impact White has made in the weeks since is not seen on a box score, one of his teammates has started gaining momentum. It might not be peak Judon performance, but Anfernee Jennings is showing he can be exactly what the Patriots defensive line needs moving forward.

NESN's Dakota Randall shared a breakdown of Jennings' stats and where he ranks in the league. All of them (besides sacks) rank higher than Judon through 14 games.

Although bringing pressure on quarterbacks and sacks is one of the Patriots defense's weaker points, besides their performance against the Bears in Week 10, when they recorded nine, every other category is important, and Jennings is hitting it out of the park in all areas.

Even better yet, Randall mentions that Jennings ranks first in "stops," which PFF describes as "tackles that constitute a "failure" for the offense."

The fact that the 27-year-old has taken this big of a leap this year is significant for the Patriots' defense moving forward, especially as EDGE is a position of need for next offseason. If they could add just one more playmaker to the defensive line to play alongside Jennings and White, they could have a thriving pass rush and further prove their decision to trade Judon as a good move.

More Patriots news and analysis: