As the offseason starts to heat up, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a long list of things to address once the new league year begins. Fixing a defense that underperformed last year is near the top, specifically when it comes to a pass rush that left a lot to be desired.
Tampa Bay has already been linked to some big names, as Myles Garrett requesting a trade out of Cleveland made the Buccaneers a natural fit for those ‘best landing spots’ lists we see every offseason. Joey Bosa is expected to be released by the Chargers, Micah Parsons could be on his way out in Dallas, and Max Crosby’s situation is worth monitoring out in Las Vegas.
Outside of the marquee names there’s a handful of interesting edge rushers set to hit free agency in March. Among those is Atlanta Falcons defensive end Matthew Judon, who is already being predicted to potentially remain in the NFC South but with the team that controls the division.
Buccaneers predicted to sign Matthew Judon away from Falcons
USA Today’s Jake Camenker predicted potential targets for each team, and landed on the Bucs making a run at Matthew Judon. This is notable for two reasons, as it not only helps address the pass rush issues but also weakens a division rival.
“Judon is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, as he generated just 4.5 sacks and 25 pressures. However, he was traded to the Falcons just a month before the regular season, so perhaps the Buccaneers can sell themselves on him regaining his form with a full offseason in Todd Bowles' system,” Camenker wrote.
Spotrac has Judon’s market value around $4.2 million, which is right around the range the Bucs could be looking in terms of bargain shopping. Truthfully no expense should be spared in trying to fix what was an abysmal pass rush situation last year, but Judon offers a best of both worlds sort of scenario.
He might be coming off one of his worst seasons but that puts the type of chip on his shoulder that would make him fit right in with Tampa Bay’s locker room. A core part of the team’s identity is having an us against the world mentality and proving folks wrong has become a bit of a staple. Whether it’s Baker Mayfield shushing his critics or the Bucs winning the NFC South for a fourth straight year despite being picked to regress, it seems all Tampa Bay does is bounce back with a fire in its belly.
Judon’s best years might be behind him but it’s hard to believe he doesn’t have something left in the tank. Coming to the Bucs on a one-year prove it deal could be a perfect scenario for Tampa Bay to get a resurgent Judon as he sets himself up for a nice payday in 2026.
Think along the lines of what happened when Shaq Barrett came to Tampa Bay after his stint in Denver; that’s the sort of ceiling Judon’s situation could have.
There’s inherent risk involved, and one could argue there’s a long list of other pass rushers the Bucs should target before Judon. He checks a lot of boxes, though, and it could be something to keep an eye on as free agency nears.
