By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions might not be finished building up their defensive front just yet. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the team is “still in the market” for help on the edge, and one name they’ve reportedly discussed is veteran pass rusher Matthew Judon.
Judon, a Detroit-area native from West Bloomfield and Grand Valley State alum, has certainly made a name for himself in the NFL. Though he got off to a slow start after being drafted in the fifth round by the Ravens, Judon eventually developed into a top-tier defender. He earned Pro Bowl honors twice with Baltimore and again in back-to-back seasons with the New England Patriots. His standout years came in 2021 and 2022, when he racked up 12.5 and 15.5 sacks.
Last season, Judon spent time with the Atlanta Falcons after a torn bicep shortened his 2023 campaign. In Atlanta, he played in 15 games and totaled 5.5 sacks — a step down from his peak but still productive. At 6’3″ and 275 pounds, he brings not only size but versatility. Known mostly for his pass-rushing skills, Judon is also capable against the run and has experience in coverage, logging over 90 snaps in coverage during each of his first five years as a starter.
Despite the reported interest, head coach Dan Campbell isn’t letting speculation distract him from what’s happening in camp.
“Just worried about evaluating the guys we got here right now,” Campbell said Friday. “We’ve got a good crop of guys in here, young players. We’re about to go see what we can pull out of them, see what we can develop, see what comes from it and we’ll take it from there.”
The Lions are set to get their first real look at their current EDGE options — including rookies like Ahmed Hassanein, Nate Lynn, Isaac Ukwu, and Mitchell Agude — when they kick off the preseason against the Los Angeles Chargers in next week’s Hall of Fame Game.