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New England Patriots

New England Patriots

Plenty of free agents still available from Matt Judon’s recruiting tour

Author Matt Dolloff
Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re not on Twitter, you may have missed that Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon has been playing the role of recruiter in free agency.

Judon wasted no time tweeting at many of the biggest names on the open market in the NFL, even before free agency week kicked off for 2022. It obviously could just be tongue-in-cheek playfulness with no impact whatsoever, but if that’s the case, at least Judon is having fun. Can’t say the same for about 99 percent of all Twitter users.

Many of those same tweeters have been reacting strongly and impatiently to the Patriots’ lack of activity in NFL free agency so far. But at the same time, it’s only been 3 1/2 days. And as you can see from the list of players to get a Twitter shoutout from Judon, there are still numerous players available who would make a real difference if they signed with New England.

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A couple of Judon’s targets have already signed elsewhere, but we’re also still early in the process. And Patriots fans would be lying if they said they weren’t rooting for them to actually sign one of these guys.

Matthew Judon's recruiting list

  • The recruiting list for Matthew Judon, so far, is headlined by some seriously high-end talents who remain available entering Thursday. He struck out on Chandler Jones, who signed with the Raiders, and D.J. Chark, who joined the Lions. But there’s still a chance Judon’s recruitment “pays off” for the Pats.

  • Bobby Wagner

    The former Seahawks linebacker remains one of the premier players at his position in the NFL, and based on the money being thrown around, he’s due for a nice payday. Judon wasted no time tweeting at Wagner soon after he was released, then circling back six days later.

    The Pats appear to be moving toward a youth movement at linebacker, but Wagner would be an excellent fit for Bill Belichick and a Patriots defense in need of game-changing talent.

  • Allen Robinson

    The former Bears receiver could be another notable free agent set to cash in. Lesser receivers, like Christian Kirk, have signed for ridiculous money. But it can’t hurt for Judon to ask him what’s up. Robinson would be a true No. 1 pass-catcher for the Patriots, and make the likes of Hunter Henry, Kendrick Bourne, and Jakobi Meyers better by drawing attention in coverage.

    Hopefully, Judon’s offer to Robinson wouldn’t be the same one Don Corleone made to Jack Woltz. That would be excessive.

  • Julio Jones

    The Titans released the veteran former All-Pro receiver on Wednesday. It’s unclear how much he has left in the tank, or how close he still is to being a true No. 1 receiver. But he’d be an exciting addition for Patriots fans, for sure. We’ll see if Judon can sell him on Mac Jones, like he tried with the above tweet.

  • Tyrann Mathieu

    The “Honey Badger” doesn’t seem as likely a target for the Patriots, who are pretty well-stocked at safety with Devin McCourty, Kyle Dugger, and Adrian Phillips. But why not reach out? This look from Mr. Miyagi screams, “Patriots?! Heh?!”

  • Stephon Gilmore AND Casey Hayward

    Judon is even reaching out to a former teammate. It doesn’t seem likely that Stephon Gilmore would go right back to the Patriots after being traded during the 2021 season, which came after he reportedly had issues with his contract. But you’d think the team would welcome Gilmore back on the right deal. Hayward, meanwhile, can still start in the NFL, and has versatility in man and zone coverage.

  • Michael Pierce

    Pierce is a former teammate of Judon’s with the Baltimore Ravens. The Vikings recently released the 29-year-old nose tackle, who seems like a guy Belichick would know how to use and put in a position to succeed. This is a guy where you think the recruiting process could actually work.

  • Success?

    PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 19: Matt Judon #9 of the New England Patriots reacts after the preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on August 19, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Patriots defeated the Eagles 35-0. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

    PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 19: Matt Judon #9 of the New England Patriots reacts after the preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on August 19, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Patriots defeated the Eagles 35-0. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

    The Patriots haven’t signed anyone from Judon’s recruiting list, as of this writing on Thursday. But if they did, man, would that be epic. For now, Judon is just having fun with it, even if the Twitter pitches haven’t quite worked out.




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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at [email protected].

Matt, a North Andover, Massachusetts native, has been with The Sports Hub since 2010. Growing up the son of Boston University All-American and Melrose High School hall-of-fame hockey player Steve Dolloff, sports was always a part of his life. After attending Northeastern University, Matt focused his love of sports on writing, extensively writing about all four major Boston teams. He also is a co-host of the Sports Hub Underground podcast and is a regular on-air contributor on the Sports Hub. Matt writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins.

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