Trades can often serve as a turning point for professional franchises. They can spur winning streaks or bury them -- and some teams clearly pull them off better than others.
The Atlanta Braves are the poster child for effective trades -- and they did it again with their acquisition of Chris Sale this time last year. After he was officially announced as the Cy Young winner last night, it's safe to say the Braves got what they bargained for, and then some. The Atlanta Hawks are also seeing positive early returns with their acquisition of Dyson Daniels.
Now, compare this move to what the Falcons did with their move to get Matthew Judon for a third-round pick. He was brought in to give life to a struggling pass rush, but he has fallen well short of that goal through the first half of the NFL season.
Steak Shapiro discussed the fallout of the deal and how it has hindered the Falcons this season.
"[The Atlanta Falcons] are in danger of the Matthew Judon trade and the defensive line," Steak said about the moves the Falcons made this season. "Anemic numbers [in the pass rush] and that being the storyline, with everything else that's happened -- all the acquisitions and Kirk Cousins and the offense and a new head coach and a new offensive coordinator and a new defensive coordinator and everything else.
"2024 may be defined by the Michael Penix pick, a player who never played, and the incredibly staggering defensive front numbers."
Sometimes trades have big winners, other times they have big losers. Early returns have worked in favor of the Hawks and Braves, while it has certainly not for the Falcons, but only time will tell.
Hear their full discussion in the clip above.