Should Raiders Sign This Veteran Pass-Rusher?

The Raiders have a good interior rusher in Adam Butler, but adding more depth to the edge would be a good investment. 

Las Vegas let Janarius Robinson and K’Lavon Chaisson walk in free agency this year after they stepped into meaningful snaps towards the end of the season. 

There are still quality free agents that could help the Raiders as ancillary rushers. Among them is veteran Matthew Judon. 

Judon remains a free agent after an underwhelming season with the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta traded a third-round pick for the former star pass-rusher last offseason after losing Bralen Trice to a season-ending injury. 

In 2024, Judon totaled 41 tackles, seven for loss, nine quarterback hits, five passes defended, and five and a half sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Judon earned a 53.9 pass-rush grade, the lowest of his career. 

While it was not the best year of Judon’s career, he could bounce back in a better situation. Judon did not like how Atlanta deployed him, and he may have had a case, considering he had 15.5 sacks the last time he was healthy. 

Judon started to play better when the Falcons made a defensive playcalling change. He totaled four of his sacks in the final seven weeks of the season, having just one and a half sacks in the previous 10. 

While he will be 33 years old, the Raiders would not ask him to be the team’s primary rusher. He would be a player who comes in during certain situations and in certain defensive packages to purely be a pass-rusher. 

Judon wanted a big season in Atlanta to earn a massive contract extension, but that did not happen. So, if the Raiders wanted to sign him for cheap, that is a real possibility. 

Having as much pass-rushing depth as possible is always a good idea. It is purely hypothetical, but Judon could help the Raiders in a depth role.

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