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Atlanta Falcons Free Agency Preview

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2022 Record:

The Atlanta Falcons finished the 2022 season at 7-10. While only being one game back of the NFC South division–they also finished last. At the end of October the Falcons were sitting at 4-4 and at the top of the NFC South, however they would lose six of their next seven and fall out of playoff contention.

Cap Space:

The Falcons currently have 66 Million in cap space— the second most in the league behind just the Chicago Bears. Atlanta can do some things they have not be able to do in a few years, spend some money. Notably, GM Terry Fontenot stated in a recent interview that “If you have a lot of cap space, that means you have a lot of work to do.”

Draft Capital:

Atlanta has eight draft picks in total– including the No. 8 overall pick. Along with four more picks (45th, 76th, 111th, and 114th) within the top 125. If the moves are made right, this can be a very successful offseason for the Falcons.

Notable Free Agents:

There are a few key free agents that the Falcons do have on their roster. The main free agent is offensive lineman Kaleb McGary. McGary started all 17 games this past season and was key to the Falcons having the third best rushing offense in the league. On the defensive side of the ball, the biggest free agent is veteran linebacker Rashaan Evans. Evans led the team in tackles this past season.

Players to be Resigned:

The first player that should be a priority to re-sign is Kaleb McGary. Whether it be a new deal, or giving him the franchise tag. The market value for McGary is at $17.7 million per year according to spotrac.com. Secondly, I would see about keeping Evans for another veteran deal. A deal with Evans could be unlikely and the Falcons may go with just all younger guys for the linebacker corps, but having that veteran presence wouldn’t be bad. The Falcons just re-signed edge rusher Lorenzo Carter to a two-year deal so he is set to stay in Atlanta.

Letting Players Walk:

One player that the Falcons should let walk is wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus. Despite this past season being his best there maybe other free agent options available, or someone you take in the upcoming draft. Next, the Falcons can let cornerback Isaiah Oliver walk as well. Oliver hasn’t been healthy the past two seasons for a secondary that has had their fair share of struggles.

Cut Candidates:

The biggest cut candidate for the Falcons was Quarterback Marcus Mariota. Atlanta cut the veteran Quarterback last Tuesday saving $12 million in cap space for the Falcons.

Free Agency Pickups:

A name that has been surfacing around the league and the Falcons is Safety Jessie Bates III from the Cincinnati Bengals. Pairing Bates III with Richie Grant would vastly improve the Falcons secondary. If the Falcons can’t get a deal done with McGary, right tackle will be another position to look into for free agency. Tackle Jawaan Taylor from the Jacksonville Jaguars would be a good pickup to replace McGary. Taylor played 97.7 percent of snaps this past season and only allowed 16 pressures. He may be a drop off in the run game, but his pass protection is just as effective.

To see more free agency previews, click here.

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