After big offseason additions, the Atlanta Falcons are looking to jump to contention this season.
The Falcons signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a lucrative four-year $180 million deal. Cousins is a quality veteran quarterback who can help Atlanta be a contender in the NFC.
Cousins had a phenomenal start to last season before tearing his Achilles in Week 8.
In eight games with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, Cousins completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
The Falcons also added two receivers with the signing of Darnell Mooney and the acquisition of Rondale Moore. Mooney and Moore will add to Atlanta’s offense’s arsenal, which already has Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson.
While Atlanta made some win-now moves, they also made some long-term additions. With the eighth overall pick, the Falcons selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Penix Jr. will sit behind Cousins and develop over the next few years.
Atlanta still has the opportunity to be a contender in the NFC, especially with the NFC South being a wide-open division.
With that in mind, let’s dive into a trade that could help the Falcons establish themselves as contenders.
Falcons pull off major trade with Patriots
In this trade proposed by Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, the Falcons could acquire star pass rusher Matthew Judon from the New England Patriots.
He proposes that Atlanta sends a 2025 third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in 2026.
Judon is entering the final year of his four-year $54 million deal. The 31-year-old made four straight Pro Bowls from 2019-2022 before suffering an injury in the 2023 season.
In four games in the 2023 season, Judon finished with four sacks.
Over the course of a full 2022 campaign, Judon was a dominant force with 60 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, and 28 quarterback hits.
The veteran pass rusher may not fit with Patriots’ timeline, as they are a rebuilding team.
The Pats have a rookie head coach in Jerod Mayo and a rookie quarterback in Drake Maye. New England likely won’t be competitive and will be focused on the long-term development of its young core.
Trading away Judon, who is in the last year of his deal, would make a lot of sense.
Adding an elite pass rusher in Judon for the Falcons would help their defense be an elite unit.
With the NFC wide open, the Falcons should be buyers, and acquiring Judon from the Patriots could help them take over the NFC South.
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