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Dolphins Sign Veteran Pass Rusher After Visit

The Miami Dolphins are signing edge rusher Matthew Judon after he visited the team Monday.
Dante Collinelli|
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Matthew Judon walks off the field after the game at Bank of America Stadium.
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Matthew Judon walks off the field after the game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are making an addition to their pass rush unit.

The team is signing veteran edge rusher Matthew Judon to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million, which means it’s less than that and has plenty of incentives. Judon visited with the team on Monday, and it clearly went well.

The initial speculation was that the Dolphins’ interest could be tied to Jaelan Phillips’ recent injury. Phillips was injured during a joint practice with the Chicago Bears and hasn’t practiced since. He did some light jogging on the field during a joint practice with the Detroit Lions last week, but hasn’t been a full participant since getting banged up.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel refuted that point when asked about Judon’s visit Monday before news of the signing broke.

“We’re visiting for the sake of seeing if there’s a situation that both parties would be able to come to an agreement of, ‘Hey, this is a situation that fits,’” McDaniel said. "So visiting for visiting purposes. We’ll see what it leads to.”

Well, it led to Judon joining Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and Chop Robinson in the edge room.

Judon, who is 33 years old, played in 17 games for the Falcons last season, making 15 starts and recording 5.5 sacks, five pass breakups, one interception, and nine quarterback hits. It was Judon’s lowest sack production in a healthy season since he had 4.5 sacks as a rookie in 2016.

Judon’s film also took a step back with the Falcons. He wasn’t close to the dynamic player who made four straight Pro Bowls from 2019 to 2022.

Still, Judon should be viewed as decent insurance against more injuries to the Dolphins’ top-flight pass rushers. Phillips hasn’t practiced in a bit and is coming off two straight season-ending injuries.

Chubb’s injury history is also well documented, so it makes sense for the Dolphins to pursue some more proven depth on the edge.

A Depth Chart Change

One of the more interesting preseason roster battles this year was at the edge spot.

Grayson Murphy and Derrick McLendon have shown plenty of pass-rush prowess so far, and Quinton Bell is a quality run defender with good strength. Plus, Cameron Goode is a core special teams player.

Miami Dolphins OLB Quinton Bell
Miami Dolphins linebacker Quinton Bell (56) during practice at the PSD Bank Arena in Germany in 2023. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bell’s spot feels pretty secure still, so if you count him along with Judon and the top three, that makes five edge rushers set into their spots. That doesn’t leave much room for Murphy, McLendon or Goode to make the final cuts.

Even if you want to argue that Bell’s spot isn’t guaranteed, that’s still four talented players for likely just one roster spot. The Dolphins could keep six edge players, and in that case, Goode figures to have the advantage since he plays on special teams.

Either way, the Dolphins have a surplus at edge.

Does This Hint at a Trade?

Roster cutdown season always features a bunch of trades, as several already have happened. The reason it’s worth speculating about the Dolphins making a move is because of how much depth they have at edge.

However, there are several positions where the Dolphins don’t have a surplus of talent. Most notable is cornerback, where the team has lost two players to season-ending injuries and didn’t invest much in the position this offseason.

Ethan Bonner, who started in preseason Week 2, was injured this weekend and will be out "weeks," per McDaniel, so that room might be losing even more depth.

Other options include tight end, a group anchored by Darren Waller, who was retired last season and hasn’t been activated off PUP yet, and offensive tackle, where the team has seen shaky performances from backups Larry Borom and Kion Smith.

Perhaps the team just wants insurance for Phillips and Chubb, but don’t be surprised if Judon’s potential signing comes with a corresponding move.

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Dante Collinelli
DANTE COLLINELLI

Dante currently serves as the deputy editor of Dolphins on SI, where he’s been contributing since 2022. He began his career covering the NFL Draft for Blue Chip Scouting and spent four years covering the Temple University Football team. For the past three years, Dante served as the Deputy Editor for The 33rd Team, working with former players, coaches, and general managers, while building a team of NFL writers.

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