The Patriots' best player has reportedly been traded.
New England pass rusher Matthew Judon — who is embroiled in a contract dispute — has reportedly been traded to the Falcons for a third-round pick.
The longtime Patriot is entering the final year of his contract, which pays him just over $6.5 million despite that fact that he's among the top pass rushers in the NFL. On the open market, Judon should command more than double that. It's unclear at the moment whether Judon received a contract extension as part of the trade.
Judon showed up to the Patriots' full pads training camp in July without pads, got into a verbal confrontation with coach Jerod Mayo, then left the facility. Since then, several teams came close to acquiring Judon.
Now, he's finally being traded — perhaps to his benefit, given the outlook on the Patriots' season.
New England's odds are so bad across the board that the loss of one player — even its best one — didn't move things an inch.
2024 New England Patriots Futures Odds
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Super Bowl | +18000 (3rd-worst) |
| Conference | +10000 (2nd-worst) |
| Make Playoffs | +900 (Worst) |
| AFC East | +1200 (Worst) |
Odds according to DraftKings as of Wednesday night.
The Patriots are still +18000 (third-worst) to win the Super Bowl, 100-1 to win the AFC and the worst-ranked team in the NFL to make the playoffs at +900.
The Falcons' odds didn't move either, despite the acquisition of a pass rusher who ranked 26th in the NFL, according to PFF. Atlanta is still the favorite to win the NFC South, a favorite to make the playoffs and among a list of contenders for the NFC.
2024 Atlanta Falcons Futures Odds
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Super Bowl | +3000 (T-12th best) |
| Conference | +1300 (6th-best) |
| Make Playoffs | -215 |
| NFC South | -130 (Favorite) |
Odds according to DraftKings as of Wednesday night.
