Matt Judon‘s Monday visit with the Dolphins brought about the expectation of a deal. To no surprise, an agreement has indeed been reached.
Judon is heading to Miami on a one-year deal, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Colleague Tom Pelissero adds this pact has a maximum value of $6MM. With a short period remaining until the start of the regular season, Judon will now look to acclimate to his fourth career team.
This agreement will allow for a return to the AFC East in Judon’s case. The four-time Pro Bowler spent three seasons with the Patriots, collecting 32 sacks in that time. In the absence of an extension agreement, a trade was worked out last summer sending him to Atlanta. Judon managed to play 17 games (after logging only four the previous year) with the Falcons, but he posted 5.5 sacks as part of a team which again struggled in the pass-rush department.
Judon will join a Dolphins edge rusher room that is led by three former first-round picks in Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and Chop Robinson. Phillips has been sidelined for a week, but Mike McDaniel said that the injury is not serious, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Robinson had an injury scare in a joint practice with the Lions and had to be carted off the field, but returned to practice the next day, and McDaniel has since said that none of the team’s outside linebackers are dealing with significant injuries. Judon, who just turned 33 years old a few days ago, may benefit from a more rotational role after averaging 46.3 snaps per game over the last four years.
Miami now has a fourth proven edge rusher to help compensate for their lack of proven talent along the interior of their defensive line. Zach Sieler is coming off back-to-back 10.0-sack seasons (and recently received an extension for his efforts), but four-year veteran Benito Jones doesn’t have a strong pass-rushing pedigree, nor do rookies Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips.
Judon will now work to get up to speed in his new defense with a little less than three weeks before the Dolphins’ regular-season opener against the Colts.