The San Francisco 49ers are signing former Atlanta Falcons edge rusher Matthew Judon to their practice squad, according to a report from ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler. Judon, a four-time Pro Bowler, will reunite with former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris.
Atlanta traded for Judon late in the 2024 offseason, sending a third-round pick to the New England Patriots in a last-ditch effort to fix the team's abysmal pass rush. However, the addition did little to move the needle for the Falcons, who finished 31st in the NFL with just 31 total sacks that season.
Judon, 34, recorded 5.5 sacks over 17 games for Atlanta. In his defense, though, he was forced to drop into coverage more than he probably should have been. Former defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake
struggled running the Falcons defense in 2024.
The 49ers are signing veteran pass rusher Matt Judon to the practice squad with early chance for elevation, per sources.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 28, 2026
Judon has 72 career sacks and four Pro Bowls. pic.twitter.com/iW9ZKzi6r0
In 2025, Judon appeared in 13 games for the Miami Dolphins and one game for the Buffalo Bills yet failed to record a sack for either team.
Nonetheless, Judon could still help the 49ers in a situational pass-rushing role, assuming he is called up to the 53-man roster. Over 10 NFL seasons, the veteran has racked up 429 tackles (280 solo), 72 sacks and 177 QB hits.
As for the Falcons, they went in a different direction - drafting Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While both players surpassed expectations, Walker tore his ACL and Pearce was suspended for the first eight games of the season.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Falcons edge rusher signs with 49ers practice squad
