FLOWERY BRANCH — There are a lot of expectations that outside linebacker Matthew Judon, who was acquired in a trade with the Patriots, is set to be a centerpiece of the Falcons’ defense and help improve their anemic pass rush.
When the Falcons face the Steelers in the season opener Sept. 8 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Judon is ready to bring much more to the revamped defense.
“He definitely brings an attitude to the defense,” Falcons outside linebackers coach Jacquies Smiths told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “You can see just the swagger and stuff that he’ll (bring).”
Judon, who’s set to enter his ninth season, has 66.5 career sacks. He’s coming off a season that was shortened by a torn bicep. He’s fully aware of the Falcons’ problems with rushing the opposing passer in recent years.
“As a good pass rusher, as a good player, just in general, you can make other players better around you,” Judon said. “It’s kind of like that LeBron (James) effect. So, if I get 12 sacks and our (group) had 40, that’s good. I’m causing problems. That will give Grady (Jarrett) three or four more sacks.”
He’s clearly looking forward to working with Jarrett, the team’s two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle.
“Hell of a career that he has had,” Judon said. “If we are just ping-ponging the quarterback back to the edges, that’s great as well. That’s why it’s just hard. I want to break the record for sacks, but sometimes you get double-teamed or you get sled to.”
There are other aspects to rushing the quarterback for Judon.
“All right, build a wall for that person to get that one-on-one,” Judon said. “So, I’m just coming here to improve whatever I can. So, if that’s sack production. TFLs (tackles for losses). Negative plays. Three-and-outs. Our third-down defense. Whatever it is. Whatever stat. Whatever y’all want. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
Judon has been named to four Pro Bowls and finished ninth in the Associated Press’ defensive player-of-the-year voting after posting a career-high 15.5 sacks in 2022. The Falcons haven’t had a double-digit sacker since Vic Beasley had 15.5 in 2016.
“I just have to go out there and give them what they want,” Judon said. “Because if I don’t, it will turn on you real quick. But just go out there and play how I play, do what I do. We can continue to build on that love. We can build on that respect and the things that I have done in my career.”
Smith believes that Judon can help out some of the Falcons’ younger pass rushers, such as Arnold Ebiketie and Zach Harrison.
“Great veteran leadership,” Smith said. “Just his relentless effort to be able to get on edges. Great get-off. Great juice. He’s an explosive player. Still at his age, he’s still explosive. He’s going to be able to do a lot of different things.”
Smith believes there much more to Judon’s game along with his pass-rush skills.
“There isn’t anything that I’ve seen that he can’t do,” Smith said.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris enjoyed his virtual talk with Judon before the trade was completed.
“He’s telling you exactly what he’s going to bring you from his standpoint, that dog mentality,” Morris said. “He didn’t use ‘dog.’ He used a different word. But, I loved it, right? I’m like, ‘Yes, bring him.’”
Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake are working on the plan to get Judon quickly integrated into the defense.
“I’ve got big-picture vision,” Morris said. “It’s more role clarity for how to beat your first opponent. If you can define and make clear role clarity for these guys on what you need them to do going into each week, all that stuff will grow.”
Jarrett is looking forward to playing with Judon.
“Definitely creates matchup problems,” Jarrett said. “With the different combinations of people we can put in the game with the guys that we have here already like Lorenzo Carter and JSW (James Smith-Williams). I’m excited to have a different mix of bodies out there at the same time.”
The Falcons can present a variety of defensive fronts.
“With the skill set of guys we’ve got upfront, we can put guys in different positions,” Jarrett said. “I can play up and down the whole line. Other guys can, too. You can put a smaller guy on the inside and make a mismatch for a guard. We can walk up our linebackers. Some of our linebackers are great rushers.
“So, it’s just a combination of things that coach Jimmy can do to put us in position to have some success.”
Judon also is stout against the run.
“If you can’t stop the run, you can’t do nothing,” Jarrett said. “Everyday, there is big emphasis on (stopping the run) and something that we have to master, take a lot of pride in because everything else runs off of that.”
Carter also looks forward to playing with Judon.
“It’s impactful for me,” Carter said. “I grew up watching Judon. To have him in the locker room, I can have those conversations with him. It’s just going to be a fun year.”
Safety Jessie Bates III is a Judon supporter.
“He’ll dang sure help get that ball out faster,” Bates said. “It will help us.”
Judon is looking forward to getting comfortable. He wants to learn the scheme and all of the calls, so that he can play faster.
“I’d love to brag on myself, but I won’t,” Judon said. “I think I have a lot of film out there. A lot of stats. A lot of whatever. … I just (must) have that translate to playing fast. … Actually understanding the playbook and understanding where my team is going to be (is key). ... I need to get that chemistry with my teammates as well.”
Judon believes he’s fully recovered from the biceps injury that cut short his 2023 season.
“I went through some hard stuff over that year, and it wasn’t just the injury,” Judon said. “Football. This game masked so much stuff. ... A lot of people stopped calling me around a certain time, and I didn’t have that. … I learned a lot by myself.”
The ordeal made him stronger.
“As a man, yeah,” Judon said. “Football player, we’re going to see.”
Judon doesn’t plan to set any empirical goals for the season.
“I’m just going to go out there and play with reckless abandon,” Judon said. “That’s the mission. The mission is go and destroy everything out there. But I don’t have (any) goals.”
