And it might be a good one?
We are now, officially, less than a month from the start of training camp around the NFL, and that means teams are going to start making some last-minute additions as to who they’re bringing in as they start their preparations for 2025. There are still some potentially impactful veterans floating around out there, and one of them could be a fit for the Minnesota Vikings.
Aaron Schatz of ESPN has put together an article suggesting one “last” offseason move for each team before the start of camp, and his suggestion for the Vikings is to add to their edge rusher room by signing Matthew Judon.
Here’s what Schatz has to say to justify the move:
The Vikings are set with their starting edge rushers, Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. They have 2024 first-round pick Dallas Turner waiting in the wings. And then after that, well … who is Bo Richter? Answer: He’s a second-year undrafted free agent who played 29 defensive snaps last season and is probably currently Edge 4 on the Minnesota depth chart.
The Vikings could really use a veteran to provide depth and rotate in every so often. Judon had a disappointing 2024 season with just 5.5 sacks for the Falcons, and he seems to be on the decline (he turns 33 in August). Still, he can get after the passer, and some reps as a backup might really rejuvenate his career.
Judon does have a pretty distinguished resume at this point in his NFL career. He didn’t have a great 2024 season in Atlanta, as Schatz points out, and he played just four games in 2023 for the New England Patriots before tearing a bicep and being placed on injured reserve. In the two seasons he spent with the Patriots before that, however, he put up a combined 28 sacks, including 15.5 in 2022.
As Schatz says in his commentary, Judon wouldn’t be expected to come in and immediately start or even be a huge contributor. He’d serve as a backup to Greenard and Van Ginkel and would also serve as a bit of a mentor to Turner as he continues his development. Bringing in Judon wouldn’t necessarily be cost-prohibitive, either. Nobody you’re going to sign at this point in the offseason is going to break the bank, and Judon could end up being an impact player in obvious passing situations or when any of the starters need a bit of a breather.
I think the Vikings could do worse than bringing in Matthew Judon to help shore up the defense a bit more, but what do you think about the potential move?