Jerod Mayo tells the cold, hard truth about Patriots trading Matthew Judon

The New England Patriots embraced their inner tank on Wednesday, trading defensive end Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. The move was not received with very much warmth in the fandom, but most accepted the basic necessity of this trade.

Whether they like it or not, the Patriots are a bad team. Maybe the worst in the NFL. Might as well embrace it. Instead of clinging on to Judon in the final season of his contract at 32 years old, New England received a solid day-two pick to help build toward a brighter future.

For Atlanta, it's a great deal. Losing a pick is never fun, but Judon should immediately boost Raheem Morris' new-look defense. He's 32 and the long-term contract questions are valid, but Judon is one hell of a pass-rusher. He spent most of last season hurt, but in 2022, Judon accumulated 15.5 sacks (a career high) and 60 tackles (also a career high). That marked his fourth straight Pro Bowl nomination. Odds are last season would have been No. 5 if not for being hurt.

Assuming he's healthy, Judon will give the Falcons' their long-missing edge rush solution. The Patriots, meanwhile, will watch it happen from the bottom of the standings with a bittersweet feeling in the pit of their stomach.

When speaking with reporters after the trade, head coach Jerod Mayo was open and honest about the move. He has embraced his lineage as Bill Belichick's successor, but we never would've gotten this quote from Belichick. Credit where it's due for Mayo; honest insight into a team's thought process is refreshing.

Jerod Mayo declares Patriots-Falcons Matthew Judon trade a 'win-win'

For what it's worth, we arrived at a similar conclusion. FanSided's NFL guru Cody Williams graded the trade and declared both sides a winner (although he did give the Falcons higher marks due to Judon's massive impact on the edge). Williams framed the trade as a necessary evil of sorts.

"Look, getting only a third-round pick in exchange for a player of Judon's caliber might not look great for the Patriots -- but what are they honestly going to do? This is a team that is building for the future and has quite a lot of holes to fill in order to be able to accomplish that effectively. Judon at 32 years old would likely be well past his prime -- or gone for free agency for nothing -- by the time the Pats see the fruits of their labor."

There was no way for the Matt Judon era to end positively in New England. The Pats weren't going to pay a 32-year-old, recently injured Pro Bowler his worth at this juncture. Losing Judon for nothing in free agency would've gone over like a lead balloon. Stewing in the discomfort and uncertainty of the situation all season would've done nothing for a young team with a losing record.

Instead, New England gets a fresh start, as does Judon. He gets a chance to play for an increasingly compelling Atlanta squad, one that can presumably win its division and create inroads in a competitive NFC landscape. The Patriots' defense will suffer, but it's all part of the grand scheme (to tank for the No. 1 pick and build from the ground up).