Why the Dolphins Are Doing Judon a Favor

The Miami Dolphins have decided to do Matthew Judon a solid.

The team is releasing the outside linebacker before the final three games of the 2025 regular season, giving him a chance to land with a playoff team that could use veteran help at the position.

Judon joined the Dolphins on a one-year contract this summer and the chances of him being re-signed for the 2026 season probably ranged from unlikely to no chance at all given that he'll be 34 by the time the next season kicks off and Miami very well may find itself in rebuilding mode.

Judon played 13 games with three starts for the Dolphins this season, and has recorded 19 tackles, three quarterback hits and one pass defensed. He did not have a sack, though. He's a four-time Pro Bowl selection who had 12.5 and 15.5 sacks for the New England Patriots a few years back.

His three starts came after the Dolphins traded Jaelan Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles, and his spot in the starting lineup opposite Bradley Chubb figures to be taken by 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson.

The move by the Dolphins comes at no cost because they've already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Because Judon will be a free agent with a void year, the Dolphins wouldn't have been in line for a compensatory draft pick had he left as an unrestricted free agent next spring, beyond the fact he likely wouldn't be signing a big enough deal to earn one of those regardless.

There was the possibility of a similar situation last year with Calais Campbell at the trade deadline when the Dolphins were 2-6 and pretty much out of the playoff picture, but Miami was confident they could make a run with Campbell and decided to hang on to him.

As it turned out, the Dolphins did turn things around in 2024 and remained in playoff contention until the last day of the regular season.

Judon spent his first five NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before playing three years with the New England Patriots, and both of those teams would seem like logical landing spots for him.

JUDON A UNIQUE SITUATION

For those wondering whether the Dolphins could make the same move with other veterans, Judon was one of 12 pending unrestricted free agents who is 30 or older.

Tight end Darren Waller and cornerback Rasul Douglas are the two biggest names on that list, but it's not likely the Dolphins would let them go at this time because maybe the Dolphins will want to bring them back and maybe because they could become compensatory free agents depending on their market next spring.