The Miami Dolphins reportedly reached a deal with former Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots edge-rusher Matt Judon on Monday.
Judon spent the 2024 season with the Falcons, where he recorded 5.5 sacks, but his signing doesn't make much sense for a Dolphins team that is in desperate need of cornerback help. The deepest position on the roster is at edge rusher.
The most recent report has Judon agreeing to terms with Miami on a one-year deal worth $6 million. When the Dolphins officially announce the signing, fans are going to wonder why Miami general manager Chris Grier is spending so much money on a position they don't need.
Matt Judon makes no sense for the Miami Dolphins unless they are planning another move
Before Judon was reportedly signed on Monday, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel tried to explain to the media why the team was meeting with him.
The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson asked McDaniel directly about the Judon situation and if it was related to any injuries at the linebacker position. McDaniel said the team wanted to meet with him and "see if there is a potential fit."
McDaniel doesn't have a good history when it comes to talking about player injuries, so if there was concern about a Dolphins player, he probably would have danced around the question a bit and left the media to make up their own minds.
This time, he pretty much got to the point, which still leaves more questions, and his answer is not going to stop the growing speculation that a larger move could be on the horizon for Miami.
Looking at this from an injury standpoint, Zach Sieler will be back this week, Chop Robinson already returned, and the rest of the Dolphins' linebackers are healthy.
It would be great to say the move is precautionary in case Jaelan Phillips or Bradley Chubb should go down with injury, but no one is going to buy into that right now. Not with needs remaining in the secondary and offensive line, where depth is a problem.
Some fans believe the Dolphins are setting themselves up to trade either Chubb or Phillips for a cornerback. That would make a lot of sense, but if Miami trades Phillips, it would not sit well with Dolphins fans despite the fact that he has missed most of the last two seasons with injuries.
The Dolphins are likely to move on from Chubb after the season, and Phillips would need a big year to get a new contract. He is playing on his fifth-year option this season.
Grier has tried to get Judon on the roster in the past, but it didn't work out. This may simply be one of those moves that has been gnawing at him for a while, but it doesn't solve the issues Miami needs to fix.
One thing is for sure: if they don't trade one of the other edge rushers after signing Judon, Miami's pass-rushing rotation will be incredibly good.