Seahawks Urged to Trade for 4-Time Pro Bowler Matthew Judon
The Seattle Seahawks could elevate from fringe playoff contenders to serious Super Bowl contenders by acquiring an elite pass rusher. CBS Sports’ Douglas Lawson suggests that the Seahawks target four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Matthew Judon from the New England Patriots. He points out that Seattle is among the teams in “QB purgatory,” where their quarterback is capable of winning playoff games but not necessarily a Super Bowl.
Entering the 2024 season, the Seahawks will have Geno Smith as their starting quarterback. Despite his Pro Bowl selections in the past two seasons, Smith has yet to win a playoff game in his 11-year career.
“They hired former Ravens DC Mike Macdonald as their head coach, so it’s time for the Seahawks to return to the ‘Legion of Boom’ days,” Lawson writes. “There are pieces on defense with Devon Witherspoon, Tariq Woolen, Boye Mafe, Leonard Williams, and rookie first-round pick Byron Murphy II. Seattle still needs to follow the 2021 Rams blueprint and look for any way to upgrade its defense by the 2024 trade deadline. Edge rushers are king, so if I’m Seattle, I’m looking at these players in a contract year in case their teams fall out of contention: Khalil Mack (Chargers), Matt Judon (Patriots), and Haason Reddick (Jets).”
Why the Seahawks Could Benefit from Matthew Judon
Lawson argues that the Seahawks need to strengthen their defense to reach the next level, especially under their new defensive-minded head coach, Mike Macdonald. The Seahawks ranked 25th in points allowed per game (23.6) last season, highlighting their defensive struggles. Despite this, they have talented players like Devon Witherspoon, Tariq Woolen, and Leonard Williams. What they lack is an elite pass rusher, with Boye Mafe leading the team with nine sacks last season.
Matthew Judon’s Elite Pass Rushing
Judon, 31, is one of the top pass rushers over the past five years, earning four consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2019 to 2022 before a season-ending injury in 2023. His 43.5 sacks during that period ranked fourth among all pass rushers. In 2022, Judon recorded a career-high 15.5 sacks and was ranked the 33rd-best player in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023 list.
Entering the final season of his four-year, $56 million contract signed in 2021, Judon could be available at the trade deadline if the Patriots struggle as expected. Acquiring Judon could be the crucial move to transform the Seahawks from playoff hopefuls to Super Bowl contenders.
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