Matthew Judon speaks for the first time since Patriots traded him to the Falcons

The Patriots decided Wednesday was the day to blow up the internet by trading star pass rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for coveted draft capital. Although it wasn't an entirely shocking development in the ongoing saga for a contract extension, it was slightly unexpected given how critical Judon had become to the success of the team's defense over the last three years.

It's a great return for a nearly 33-year-old player coming off a season-ending injury. However, it is a risky move when the intention has been made clear the new regime wants to maintain a dominant defense, as they know their offense is still a few steps behind.

This will inevitably put a lot of pressure on young players like Joshua Uche and Keion White, especially with Christian Barmore likely being sidelined for the foreseeable future. Hopefully, it will be worth it in the end for the Patriots, who want to stack up as many draft picks as possible to build their roster through the draft.

Amid the chaos, Judon took to his Instagram to speak for the first time since news broke regarding his trade. It was a quick-to-the-point image of directions from his current location to the Falcons' stadium.

Considering how dramatic things had gotten between him and the Patriots throughout training camp, this is a pretty tame response in what could have been a more hostile reaction.

It's a drastic turn of events from what looked like could have been an easily resolved contract dispute with one of the best players the Patriots had rostered over the last several years. Judon had made it clear that he wanted to remain in New England and retire there.

Instead, he will lead a developing pass rush in Atlanta and mentor the next generation of defensive stars in the league.

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