Needing to upgrade wherever possible as the playoffs inch closer, the Buffalo Bills signed DE Matt Judon to the practice squad Saturday. In a corresponding move, the team released DE Morgan Fox.
Judon comes to Buffalo after stops in Baltimore, New England, Atlanta, and Miami before asking for his release with the Dolphins recently. As a four-time Pro Bowler, Judon has been one of the NFL’s best with selections from 2019-2022 after being a fifth round draft selection by the Baltimore Ravens in 2016.
Read below for a full injury history and analysis.
Injury History
College
Grand Valley State
2012 Sophomore year
Right MCL sprain, missed 4 games.
2013 Junior year
ACL, MCL tear, missed entire season.
Judon suffered a hyperextended knee after getting his foot caught in the turf which led to the season ending knee injury.
NFL
2016 Baltimore Ravens
No publicly reported injuries.
2017 Ravens
Illness, Week 16, missed 0 games.
2018 Ravens
Hamstring, Week 2, missed 0 games.
Knee, Week 15, missed 0 games.
2019 Ravens
Ankle, Week 12, missed 0 games.
Judon picked up an ankle injury in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams and was questionable heading into Week 13. Despite the injury, he still played in 89.5 percent of snaps that game.
2020 Ravens
Covid, Week 8, missed 0 games.
Judon was placed on the COVID/Reserve list ahead of Week 8 but was removed prior to the game and able to play.
Calf, Week 9, missed 0 games.
Despite being questionable for the game against the New England Patriots, Judon still played and recorded one sack and three tackles.
Ankle, Week 11, missed 0 games.
COVID, Week 11, missed 2 games.
Judon suffered an ankle injury against the Tennessee Titans and was questionable heading into Week 12 before going on the COVID/Reserve list and missed the following two games.
Illness, Divisional Round, missed 0 games.
Judon missed several practices prior to the divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills but did not miss the game.
2021 New England Patriots
No publicly reported injuries.
2022 Patriots
No publicly reported injuries.
2023 Patriots
Right Distal Biceps tear, missed 13 games.
Judon tore his right distal biceps tendon when he reached out for a tackle in the fourth quarter in the Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He underwent surgery and had aspirations to return later in the season, but ultimately did not return due to the team’s 4-13 record.
2024 Atlanta Falcons
Hamstring, Week 3, missed 0 games.
Judon suffered a hamstring strain in Week 3 but had no designation for any of the following games before aggravating it in Week 5. Despite the injury, he kept his same snap count for the next several games.
2025 Miami Dolphins
No publicly reported injuries.
Buffalo Bills Injury Analysis
I would like to give credit to this article on Pats Pulpit by Bernd Buchmasser who was able to provide extra context and several injuries I would have not otherwise been aware of early in his career including his college injuries.
Looking at Judon as a whole, he’s missed 15 total games in his career, two due to COVID, and 13 due to his biceps tear. He has had multiple injuries throughout his career consistent with someone who had played in the NFL for 10 years. The smaller injuries he has played though didn’t greatly impact snap counts or linger on the injury report which indicates they were relatively minor injuries.
He dropped in the NFL draft to the fifth round due to playing at a Division II school and his ACL injury didn’t help his stock either. Despite the separate ACL and MCL injuries, he didn’t appear to have any lingering effects of those injuries as a pro.
The biggest issue Judon dealt with was his distal right biceps tear in 2023.
I recall reading that he had hoped to return for the end of the season and the timeline allowed it. But due to the team’s record, the medical staff likely held him out to prevent him from injuring the area again and so that he could be ready for next season. Bills fans have seen how that injury has responded with Matt Milano in 2024 and Ed Oliver so far in 2025 with little to no future concerns.
Final Thoughts
There is really no downside to signing Judon to the practice squad. He is an upgrade from Morgan Fox and has the experience to help should another injury occur to the defensive end or linebackers rooms. He is not what he once was but having veteran players available especially with several games left will be key for the Bills to help everyone stay healthy. The hope is that he is not needed for any games, but getting him in the building now only helps should something happen.
Who knows how much Judon has left in the tank playing wise which makes 2026 a question mark. His injury history does not concern me if he were to stick around to compete for a roster spot. His talent would be his biggest obstacle, but we have seen how the Bills can lean on veteran talent while younger players develop.
I would like to welcome Matthew Judon to Buffalo and to remain healthy for the remainder of the season.
Top Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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