Patriots' Judon Rehab Update: Ready For Training Camp?

At the time of his injury, Judon was arguably New England’s most accomplished defensive player. In just four games, he led the Patriots with nine quarterback hits, and five tackles for loss, four sacks and one safety. While the Patriots defense continued to play at a high level throughout a dismal 4-13 season, their pass rush was considerably less fearsome without Judon in the lineup,

Since his arrival in Foxboro during the 2021 offseason, Judon has routinely proven that he possesses the versatility and adaptability to have earned the spot as the team’s number one player on the edge. The 31-year-old’s on-field awareness puts him in position to keep runs from reaching the corner on early downs, as well as providing speed and strength when rushing the quarterback. In his first year with the Pats, Judon amassed 60 tackles, one fumble recovery and 12.5 sacks. He eclipsed those totals in 2022 — e a career-high 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles (recovering one), while once again logging 60 total tackles.

However, as impressive as he has been as an individual defender, Judon has also proven to be a significant facilitator for his teammates. In 2021, he was quite effective when reading opposing coverages, particularly the offensive line coverage of defensive lineman Christian Barmore. By positioning himself close to Barmore [thus enabling him to draw the attention of opposing blockers,] Judon was often left one-on-one on the edge to make life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks. 

In 2022, Judon played the role of decoy for linebacker Josh Uche, who set a career-high in sacks with 11.5. Together, the pair formed one of the top pass-rushing tandems in the NFL. Uche, who is set to enter unrestricted free agency when the NFL year begins on March 13, clearly missed Judon playing alongside him, having logged only 15 tackles and three sacks in 15 games last season. 

Whether he is joined by familiar faces or a new supporting cast, Judon is seemingly ready to reclaim his spot as the Pats most fearsome front-seven defender. Though he is entering the final year of a four-year deal he signed with the Patriots in 2021, the Grand Valley State product is not looking too far into the future just yet. While his recovery efforts prevented him from returning to the field in 2023, he is intently focused on making this season a memorable one in New England. 

“At first, I couldn’t use my right hand. So, I was all lefty,” Judon recalled. “But after that, got through surgery and it started healing really fast. I was trying to come back, but I didn’t get to come back this year [2023] … I got a lot in store next year.”