The Kansas City Chiefs will likely focus on the development of 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah this summer. With Charles Omenihu recovering from surgery, Anudike-Uzomah has a chance to take on a larger role.
If he isn’t ready, the Chiefs might consider adding another veteran edge rusher to complement George Karlaftis and Mike Danna. One potential trade candidate is New England Patriots star pass rusher Matthew Judon. Bleacher Report analyst Matt Holder listed Judon as a veteran that teams “should pursue” on May 18, suggesting the Chiefs as a “potential trade destination” for him.
The Kansas City Chiefs will likely focus on the development of 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah this summer. With Charles Omenihu recovering from surgery, Anudike-Uzomah has a chance to take on a larger role.
If Anudike-Uzomah isn’t ready, the Chiefs might consider adding another veteran edge rusher to join George Karlaftis and Mike Danna. One potential trade candidate is New England Patriots star pass rusher Matthew Judon. On May 18, Bleacher Report analyst Matt Holder listed Judon as a veteran that teams “should pursue” and suggested the Chiefs as a “potential trade destination” for him.
KC fans might remember Judon from his time with the Baltimore Ravens, but he truly excelled during his tenure with the New England Patriots over the past three seasons.
Before tearing his bicep in 2023, Judon amassed an impressive 32 sacks in just 38 games with the Patriots. He also recorded 33 tackles for loss and 62 quarterback hits during that period, according to Pro Football Reference.
Judon’s performance earned him Pro Bowl selections in his first two seasons with New England, making it four consecutive Pro Bowl honors from 2019 through 2022. Unfortunately, his injury ended that streak in 2023.
Having said that, Judon has been one of the more productive pass rushers in recent years.
According to Pro Football Focus, Judon ranked in the top 10 for quarterback pressures in both 2021 and 2022, with 63 pressures in 2021 and 69 in 2022. He also logged significant playing time, with 510 defensive snaps in 2021 and 553 in 2022.
If the Chiefs pursued a trade for Judon, they would be acquiring a true starter at defensive end. Later in the year, Charles Omenihu’s return could help reduce Judon’s workload and keep the pass rush fresh.
If the Patriots decide to trade Judon, as Matt Holder suggested, the Chiefs’ interest would depend on a few factors.
The first consideration would be budget. According to the Bleacher Report writer, Kansas City could accommodate Judon’s salary, but it would be a tight squeeze.
That said, the Chiefs could free up more cap space if younger players impress during training camp. For example, cutting veteran wide receiver Justin Watson would save $2.77 million any time after June 1. Additionally, trading tight end Noah Gray has been suggested as an option to free up $3.116 million.
Remaining contract restructures are another option, and then there are the lesser-known roster cuts that add up. In that vein, Kansas City just released veteran running back La’Mical Perine on May 17 — a move the offered minor savings.
The second factor is need. As stated above, Anudike-Uzomah’s development will be integral in this discussion. So will Omenihu’s health, BJ Thompson’s progress and the Chiefs’ overall confidence in younger pieces like Malik Herring and Truman Jones.