Albert Breer told ESPN 1000 that Matthew Judon would be a “really good fit” for the Bears
The Bears’ roster is all but set heading into their first preseason game against the Texans on Thursday.
But there remains one glaring gap GM Ryan Poles and the front office could, and maybe should, address before the season: edge rusher. The Bears have yet to truly address the spot across Montez Sweat.
But NFL insider Albert Breer pitched an idea for the Bears to address their need on ESPN 1000.
“If I were the Bears I would pick up the phone and call Matthew Judon,” Breer said. “Here’s the thing with the Judon situation. With Judon and New England, they paid Christian Barmore, they paid a lot of other guys who aren’t as good as Judon. He’s set to make $6.5 million this year. I don’t know how far they’re gonna have to go to make him happy.
“I would at least fish around that one if I were the Bears. I think he could be a really good fit for Matt Eberflus’ defense. If I were the Bears that’s probably the one I would make the phone call on.”
Judon, 31, is currently undergoing contract disputes with the Patriots as he’s on the precipice of playing through the final year of his contract. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Wednesday the Patriots offered him a new deal after Tuesday’s practice, but Judon refuted the report.
“No, they haven’t but it makes me look bad again. Don’t believe the lies,” Judon wrote.
In response, Judon has been sitting on the sidelines in street clothes during Patriots training camp, leaving the opportunity for a team, like the Bears, to swoop in with a trade offer to claim him.
Judon has played in the NFL for eight seasons. He’s earned a Pro Bowl nod in four of the last five seasons. And he earned top 10 voting for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022.
Unfortunately, Judon’s 2023 season ended abruptly after he tore his bicep, leaving him out for the rest of the season after playing just four games. He recorded four sacks and 13 tackles through those games.
But his 2022 and 2021 seasons were incredibly impressive, as he finished with 15.5 and 12.5 sacks, respectively. Before tearing his bicep in 2023, Judon had missed just three games in his career. He’s a perenially healthy player with a strong, recent track record of on-field production.
The Bears have had a bottom-tier pass rush unit over the past two seasons. In 2023, they finished 31st in the NFL with 30 sacks, besting the league-worst Panthers by just three sacks. The season before in 2022, the Bears finished with a league-worst 20 sacks.
And while Sweat’s presence drastically improves the likes of their defensive line, another strong, veteran addition would prove useful for Sweat and the Bears’ defense.
But right now, Poles says he’s comfortable with how the roster is set in place.
“In the front office, it’s our job to look at every option that’s out there to improve our football team,” Poles said on July 19 about the defensive line. “We feel really comfortable with the guys we have on our roster now, and I’m excited, we’re both excited, to see [defensive line coach Travis Smith] and [defensive coordinator Eric Washington] really put their hands on those guys and develop them as we go through the beginning of training camp. But we will always have our eyes on the list of players that we could potentially bring in.”
