Patriots created a big issue for the 2024 season by trading Matthew Judon

The Patriots have cast the die on the 2024 season by trading Matt Judon to Atlanta. If you think it's a "win" for the Patriots, think again. This ill-advised deal, absent a Drake Maye miracle season, has likely put a lock on last place in the AFC East for the home team.

In return, the Pats gleaned a third-round pick in the 2025 draft. The last two third-rounders were Marte Mapu and this year's Caedan Wallace. Mapu has done nothing and the jury's still out on Wallace, except that any illusions he can pay left tackle have been shattered.

The hole left by trading Judon, not merely your best edge player and pass-rusher but also your best player, is immense. You could drive an 18-wheeler through it with ease. Think of the Ted Williams Tunnel, but wider and deeper.

Let's explore some of the Patriots' options and evaluate whether they can fill Judon's shoes and the huge void those size 25-ers have left in the Patriots' once-promising defense. The quick conclusion here is that they can't and they won't.

The best option is Keion White, but he should play another position

Keion White is showing why he's all of the second-round picks he represents and much more. Along with Christian Barmore, they were Bill Belichick's best second-round picks in forever. (Add Kyle Dugger, too, but the defensive linemen are better.)

White impressed last season, though he was misused by Belichick on the edge. That's not to say that he can't be effective. He's already shown this pre-season that he's very good there. The question is, is that where he should be playing? The answer is no.

White is an absolute pocket-crusher inside in a gap. That's why the thought of the Barmore/White combination was so exciting. Like Barmore, White is unblockable by any one interior lineman. He's a force of nature and has already flashed in this pre-season there, and that's where he should play most of the time.

Other EDGE options are not up to snuff

Other outside options aren't expected here to get the job done. High picks have been used on a couple. They've failed to consistently make the grade. The operative word there is "consistently. A couple have had one good season, but other than that, they've been almost invisible.

Prime example No. 1 is Joshua Uche. Uche was a second-round pick in 2020. He came from Michigan with high expectations, though his stats there were mediocre. In his four seasons in New England, he's had one good one, 2022.

That year, he had 11.5 sacks. It was badly timed since in his free agency season last year, he managed what is his norm, a mere three sacks. That mistiming cost him a lot of money, and he signed a one-year show-me contract after last season. Don't expect much, and you won't be disappointed.

The other last best hope is a former third-round pick, also in 2020, Anfernee Jennings. He also has just one good season to his name. That was in 2023, when he broke out with 66 total tackles, including 14 tackles for loss. He played well but had only 1.5 sacks. He's not a pass-rusher. When you're trying to make up for Judon's sack production, he's not going to make a dent.

Uche and Jennings are the Patriots' best options to try to replace Judon. Any others are just dreamland. They won't be able to. Each has had only one good season in their NFL career. Inconsistency is the word, and no one knows which version will be shown in 2024. Most likely, it will be the poorer ones.

That's a quick prognosis for the Patriots' edge players who'll be tapped to try to replace Matt Judon. It's not a rosy picture. White is the best option, but he needs to play inside, or you weaken another position. That's why the Judon trade made no sense when it was made, and here, it still doesn't now.

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