Dolphins thrilled to add Judon. And Judon explains why production dropped
New Dolphins linebacker Matthew Judon doesn’t want you to blame age, or bad luck or his 2023 early season torn bicep for his sack numbers plunging from 15.5 with New England in 2022 to 5.5 with Atlanta last season.
The 33-year-old edge rusher — who joined the Dolphins this week on a one-year contract that could be worth as much as $6 million with incentives — said that drop can be attributed primarily to the way Atlanta used him.
“If you go look at the film, I dropped [into coverage] on 60% of the plays,” Judon told Card Player in May. Judon was exaggerating; Per Pro Football Focus, he rushed the quarterback 328 times and dropped into coverage 87, but that’s more plays in coverage than he’s accustomed.
“It’s hard to get a pick and a sack on the same play,” he said. “I think I can still [play]. But that’s not up to me. I’m not a GM making that decision.”
Judon said in that interview that “a couple” teams expressed interest in signing him during the first two months of free agency but that he was in no hurry to sign, admitting: “I really haven’t gone to OTAs or minicamps since Year 2 in the league.”
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said: “He has a physical presence. Can win on the edge. Good power tip move. Really good hand fighter. Everything he has shown on film is what we look for on film. He’s a great complement to the guys we have. Thrilled to have him.”
Despite an impressive career body of work that includes 72 sacks and four Pro Bowl appearances, Judon, 33, has something to prove after a season in which Pro Football Focus rated him 118th of 119 qualifying outside linebackers.
PFF rated him 95th against the run and 117th against the pass. During his 87 plays in pass coverage, he allowed 10 completions in 15 targets for 125 yards, two touchdowns and an interception (a 104.2 passer rating against).
He finished the season with 42 tackles (including seven for loss) and an interception in 17 games and 15 starts.
NFL players voted him the 33rd-best player in the league before the 2023 season, but months later, he sustained a season-ending torn biceps in Week 4. But he played 17 games in 2021 and 2022 and again suited up 17 times in 2024.
He spent his first five seasons with Baltimore, his next three with New England and last season with Atlanta, which acquired him from the Patriots for a third-round pick.
Judon made the Pro Bowl each season from 2019 to 2022.
His addition gives Miami a potential top-four edge rusher group of Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson and Judon. Though Phillips hasn’t practiced in a week, coach Mike McDaniel said his injury isn’t serious and that no Dolphins outside linebacker will be sidelined for any significant length of time.
With a young secondary, the Dolphins clearly believe that loading up on skilled pass rushers is a smart approach.
“Yeah, I think so,” Weaver said. “Right? Ask the 2012 Giants, right? Osi [Umenyiora], and Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, just a wealth of edges who can rush. And then we have guys that can, that can only not only rush from the edge, but can push inside as well.
“I think when you pair that with Zach Sieler and Kenneth Grant and some of the guys that we have, it’s really exciting for us to think about the potential mismatches we can create.”
Cam Goode, Grayson Murphy, Quinton Bell, Mo Kamara and Derrick McLendon are competing for one or two other outside linebacker jobs.
This story was originally published August 19, 2025 at 10:38 AM.
