The Miami Dolphins made headlines Wednesday morning with the announcement that they would be benching quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers. Yet, it wasn't the only bit of news out of South Florida, as the Dolphins also elected to part ways with veteran linebacker Matthew Judon.
Judon's release will now allow the 10-year veteran to potentially sign on with a playoff contender in hopes of a Super Bowl run.
Miami Dolphins part ways with Matthew Judon with 3 games to go
While the news of benching Tagovailoa will come as a surprise to some, the news of Judon's release should not. There were already rumblings of a potential trade after Judon was marked a healthy scratch back in October, and it was clear he would not be part of any long-term plans within the organization, regardless of who the general manager or head coach is.
Plus, with the Dolphins officially eliminated from the playoff hunt, it makes sense to give Judon the opportunity at a fresh start with a team that could make a postseason run.
The only true downside to Judon's release is that it is a reminder that Miami wasn't able to get anything for him back in November. The same holds for Bradley Chubb when his inevitable release arrives. Nevertheless, like the situation with Ewers and Tua, releasing Judon gives the Dolphins three games left in the season to get more reps from the younger players and to see what they have now for the future.
As for who Judon could land with, assuming he clears waivers, his former teams -- the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens -- instinctively feel like potential candidates. Baltimore drafted Judon in 2016 in Round 5, so not much was to be expected out of the small-school prospect from Grand Valley State at the time. However, Judon morphed himself into a perennial starter and a multiple-time Pro Bowler.
As it stands, the Ravens are not currently in the playoff picture and would look to add Judon only if they feel that he could help them get over the hump. The Patriots, on the other hand, could clinch a playoff spot as early as this week, and are in further contention for the No. 1 seed.
New England made Judon one of the highest-paid edge rushers at the time back in 2021. And with the Patriots ranking in the bottom 10 this year in both sack rate and opponents' average time to throw, a reunion between the two makes sense. However, Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston deems it unlikely, pointing to notable disputes Judon had with former staff before the trade that sent him to Atlanta in 2024.
The Green Bay Packers also come to mind as having interest in Judon following the tragic news of Micah Parsons' torn ACL injury.
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He won't come in for any team and become an immediate game-changer, as his production has fallen off (zero sacks so far in 2025), but Judon is a veteran presence who could come in and help. And at this point in the season, any playoff team should have interest in acquiring someone of his caliber.
For Miami, as mentioned, releasing Judon now makes sense. The playoffs are no longer a thought, and it's best to see what you have from the guys who will be here next year. It's just hard to imagine that there weren't teams out there willing to give a sixth- or seventh-round pick for him in early November. If there were, it was another miss by a Dolphins organization that has focused too much on short-term gains instead of long-term results.