2019 Falcons Draft Talk and Free Agency

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Protecting Matt Ryan with revamped line could key Falcons' resurgence

General Manager Thomas Dimitroff was asked by ESPN if Ryan applauded the organization for drafting a pair of offensive linemen in the first round. Ryan was sacked 42 times last season, the second-highest total in his career.

“He texted me, and actually, he just said, 'Thanks, I appreciate that a lot, wow,'" Dimitroff said of Ryan's response.

Protecting their $150 million franchise quarterback had to be the Falcons' top priority, no matter how many mock drafts had them targeting a defensive tackle or cornerback first. Team owner Arthur Blank hinted at the team's draft direction when he said in a phone interview, “I think we've got to get younger on the offensive line” before mentioning any other position.

The Falcons indeed got younger --- and they believe a little nastier -- with the additions of 14th overall pick Chris Lindstrom, a guard from Boston College, and 31st overall pick Kaleb McGary, a right tackle from Washington. Maybe those additions will help the Falcons regain the same type of offensive swagger they had during the 2016 Super Bowl run, when they started the same offensive line in all 16 games, led the league at 33.8 points per game, and saw Ryan win the MVP.

According to ESPN Statistics & Information tracking, Ryan was sacked, hit while throwing or hit while running 76 times in 2018, the most in a season during his career. However the line comes together, the Falcons can't afford to have embarrassing performances like they did against Pittsburgh last season, when Ryan was sacked six times and hit 14 times. Both Lindstrom and McGary know protecting Ryan is the top priority.

ESPN

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Gerald MCoy

Free agent DT Gerald McCoy will visit the Ravens on Tuesday.

McCoy visited the Browns on Friday but left town without a contract. Cleveland is still thought to be in the running for Brown, but McCoy will hear the Ravens' pitch before making his decision. McCoy reportedly prioritizes playing for a contender over making the most money. In addition to Baltimore and Cleveland, the six-time Pro Bowler has also been linked to Atlanta, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, New England and New Orleans.
Related:

Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens

Source: Rick Stroud on Twitter

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Did we keep the wrong RB?

It's early, but Tevin Coleman is looking like the clear No. 1 in the crowded backfield of the San Francisco 49ers.The 49ers added Coleman to a backfield that already included Matt Breida, last year\'s leading rusher, and Jerick McKinnon, who missed all of 2018 due to injury.Coleman has gotten a majority of first-team snaps in OTAs.

Via Matt Maiocco/NBC Sports Bay Area

RealGM Wiretap

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Offseason grades for all 32 NFL teams

Atlanta Falcons

Grade: B-

The 2018 Falcons finished seventh on offense, 31st on defense and 16th on special teams in ESPN's expected points-based efficiency rankings. They responded by firing all three coordinators before loading up on offensive linemen in both free agency and the draft.

"They did a lot for their offensive line, but I feel like they are exposed at running back and corner, and their pass-rush is a concern," an evaluator said. "Maybe they think [fourth-round pick] John Cominsky can be a Tyrone Crawford type or an Adrian Clayborn from their Super Bowl team."

Beyond the $15.2 million franchise tag for defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, the Falcons' three largest commitments of guaranteed money went to guard Jamon Brown ($12.75 million), guard James Carpenter ($9.3 million) and tackle Ty Sambrailo ($6 million). They then used first-round picks for guard Chris Lindstrom and tackle Kaleb McGary, who one evaluator thought would become the best lineman from the 2019 draft.

"What blew me away was, Jamon Brown got $6 million a year," an evaluator said. "He lost the starting job with the Rams, got cut, went to the Giants, played poorly and got that kind of money?"

Dirk Koetter's return as offensive coordinator went over well.

"I think [Devonta] Freeman will have a big year with Dirk," an exec said. "He fits the mold of Maurice Jones-Drew and even Doug Martin, who had big years playing for Dirk. The question is, can he stay healthy? Losing Tevin Coleman to a relatively modest deal had to hurt."

ESPN

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Grady Jarrett, Falcons on Agree on 4-Year, $68M Contract

The Atlanta Falcons agreed to a long-term extension with veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett ahead of Monday's deadline, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.  

Per Schefter, the contract is for four years and worth $68 million.

Atlanta placed the franchise tag on the 26-year-old in March, and he signed the one-year tender in April. The franchise tender was worth a little over $15.2 million for 2019

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2832903-report-grady-jarrett-falcons-on-agree-on-4-year-68m-contract

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The Falcons Just Bet Big on Defense—What Does That Mean for Their Title Window?

Atlanta is no longer the team with the pricey offense and a cheap, young defense to balance it out. So, with the bill coming due for guys like Deion Jones, Grady Jarrett, and eventually Julio Jones, how can the team maintain a competitive roster?



On Wednesday evening, news broke that Falcons inside linebacker Deion Jones had signed a four-year, $57 million extension to remain with the franchise. The real significance of Jones’s extension, though, is that it came just two days after Atlanta signed defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a four-year, $68 million deal just before the deadline to extend players on the franchise tag. In less than a week, Atlanta committed $76.5 million guaranteed to two players who hadn’t been under contract past 2019, and in doing so, have shifted how the franchise allocates its money. The Falcons’ latest spending spree is a telling example of how quickly teams’ identities can change as they try to prop open their championship windows, and it also provides plenty of insight into the difficulties of maintaining a contender’s roster.

Spoiler:

Over the past few seasons, the Falcons have taken advantage of cheap defensive contracts, using excess cap space to retain homegrown offensive players like left tackle Jake Matthews, former right tackle Ryan Schraeder, and running back Devonta Freeman. And in 2018, the organization signed Matt Ryan to a record-setting $150 million deal, with $100 million guaranteed. During that span, the Falcons operated like the Eagles, Patriots, Steelers, and other smart teams, locking down their own draft picks before those players ever hit the open market—and ensuring locker room harmony in the process. More than just about any other franchise, the Falcons’ front office and owner Arthur Blank made a point of taking care of their own. But even with all the benefits of that plan, the bill is coming due, and the team will face some tough questions over the next couple seasons.

As it stands, the Falcons are projected to have just $6.3 million in cap space in 2020, and that’s before the numbers for Deion Jones’s extension kick in. Looking at Atlanta’s roster and the structure of the team’s cap, there aren’t a ton of obvious ways that the Falcons can trim salary.

There are two realistic ways that Atlanta could open up space in 2020: By releasing wide receiver Mohamed Sanu ($6.5 million in cap relief if cut) or center Alex Mack ($8 million). But the thought of losing either points to the predicament that a team like the Falcons—with a $30 million QB and a growing number of second-contract players—has to face.

The top NFL teams keep their championship windows open by becoming different versions of themselves every few years. Now Atlanta is following suit, as it shifts from an offense-centric model to a more well-rounded one—and the results have to follow accordingly. Gone are the days of the Falcons as the team with the loaded, flexible offense and a discount defense.

If Atlanta is going to keep pace in the NFC for years to come, it will be as a different sort of team than we’ve seen in years past.

The Ringer

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People aren't very high on our team this upcoming season. I see a lot of potential but maybe I'm just being a homer.

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Saints locked him up.


Saints signed WR Michael Thomas to a five-year, $100 million extension through 2024.

The deal contains $61 million guaranteed and makes Thomas the league's highest-paid wideout at $20 million per year in new money. He's actually the highest-paid non-quarterback offensive player in NFL history right now, a number that will surely soon be surpassed by whoever is next in line, whether it's Julio Jones or whomever. Through three seasons, Thomas has averaged 107 catches for 1,262 yards and eight touchdowns as the former No. 47 overall pick of the 2016 draft. He turned 26 in March.

Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter

Jul 31, 2019, 8:41 AM ET



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