The Atlanta Falcons made a pair of mid-August moves they thought would elevate a defense in need of upgrades.
On Aug. 14, Atlanta traded a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the New England Patriots for outside linebacker Matthew Judon, who totaled 32 sacks in his previous 39 games. The next day, the Falcons signed free agent safety Justin Simmons to a one-year deal.
Judon had been to four Pro Bowl games. Simmons was a second-team All-Pro four times. The two veterans seemed to be quality adds to a unit seeking help rushing the passer and limiting explosive plays on the back end.
But did they work out as Atlanta hoped? Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot isn't sure after the team fell short of its playoff goal, finishing with an 8-9 record.
"When you add players at that point in their career -- for us to make those decisions, we're saying, 'Okay, we're in position to win the division and to make a run in the playoffs,'" Fontenot said. "And the fact that we're not in the playoffs, then we're not happy with the result of those decisions.
"That's just natural."
Simmons wrapped his first season in Atlanta with starts in all 16 games played. He collected 62 total tackles and a pair of interceptions while playing alongside All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III.
After the Falcons' 44-38 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers, the 31-year-old Simmons said he hadn't given much thought to what he'll remember most about his time in Atlanta, but he knows he loves the city and organization -- and he believes there are brighter days ahead for the team.
"I think things are trending in the right direction," Simmons said Jan. 5. "There's a lot of firsts here, but I've been a part of a lot of firsts in Denver, and I just feel like things are trending in the right direction. And there's a lot to take away from it, man.
"But the locker room is unique, and there's really great leadership here. And yeah, this place is in good hands."
Judon, playing in a contract year, had an up-and-down season in Atlanta. He played in all 17 games with 15 starts, collecting 41 tackles, 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. Four of his sacks came in the final seven games.
The 32-year-old Judon told Falcons on SI before Week 18 he felt like he and the team could have done more.
"Shit, a little bit, I feel like," Judon said when asked what he proved about himself to the Falcons. "I just feel like, kind of, the season is the season. I wish we could have been in the playoffs and accomplished more."
Perhaps nothing better summarizes the year of both Judon and Simmons -- fair contributions, but not to the level they, or the Falcons, expected.
And for that, it's fair to consider Atlanta's moves in August as underwhelming and, ultimately, unsuccessful.
"That's not saying anything against either one of those players specifically, Matt or Justin. I'm not saying anything negative about the coaching staff or anything," Fontenot said. "But when you make those decisions, we believe that's going to be a tipping point for us, and it wasn't."
