The Falcoholic - All PostsFalcons News, Analysis & Tomfoolery For and By Fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/21944/falcoholic-fave.jpg2024-03-18T14:36:44-04:00http://www.thefalcoholic.com/rss/current/2024-03-18T14:36:44-04:002024-03-18T14:36:44-04:00Falcons bring back DL Kentavius Street
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<p>Atlanta makes a move on defense, re-stocking their depth on the defensive line with a familiar face. </p> <p id="Yzkcr9">The <a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/">Atlanta Falcons</a> hadn’t done much with their defense to this point in free agency, but that was going to change sooner than later. After all, even if the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> is defense-heavy, the Falcons will still need starters and depth alike to ensure that side of the ball can hold its own in 2024.</p>
<p id="8gu4VW">They got started on Monday by bringing back a familiar face. That’d be Kentavius Street, who joined the team in an October 31 trade from the <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a>, and who will provide the team with quality depth along their defensive line. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Atlanta Falcons are bringing back DL Kentavius Street on a 1-year deal. Should help in the middle of that 3-4 front.</p>— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshTheAthletic/status/1769790547009449986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<p id="diUHJb">Street only wound up playing in five games for Atlanta last year owing to injury, but in that five game stretch, Pro Football Focus credited him with eight run stops, four hurries, and a sack. He looked like a rock solid piece of the defensive line rotation until that injury unfortunately wiped out the rest of the year—the Falcons defensive line was mighty thin by the end of 2023—and that’s exactly what the soon-to-be-28-year-old should be again in 2024 for Atlanta. The fact that he’s returning for Raheem Morris’s defense despite being a Ryan Nielsen guy—he overlapped with the ex-Falcons defensive coordinator in New Orleans—tells you the Falcons like what he brought to the table in that short stint. </p>
<p id="tTNGCN">The Falcons now have Grady Jarrett, David Onyemata, Ta’Quon Graham, Zach Harrison, LaCale London, Tommy Toigai, and Willington Previlon under contract in addition to Street, giving them a pair of aging but mighty effective starters up front with a lot of younger pieces they’re hoping can be valuable players. Street is one of the more proven options in that group and should have a significant 2024 role if he’s healthy, and we’ll hope the Falcons add more talent to this group to ensure they’re in good shape if Jarrett or Onyemata are injured or just need someone to pick up the slack a bit. </p>
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https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/18/24105061/falcons-bring-back-dl-kentavius-street-grady-jarrett-david-onyemata-ryan-nielsen-raheem-morrisDave Choate2024-03-18T12:36:59-04:002024-03-18T12:36:59-04:00Falcons sign Kirk Cousins and reshape offense in free agency
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<p>The Falcons were busy reshaping their offense in the first wave of free agency, signing QB Kirk Cousins, WR Darnell Mooney, and trading QB Desmond Ridder for WR Rondale Moore. Host Kevin Knight is here to break down the first wave of moves.</p> <p id="r1xi3H">Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/55OBMAi9XK8gu5qr9l3kIy?si=9cba7d377d0a404d">Dirty Birds and Brews podcast</a>! The Atlanta Falcons were busy reshaping their offense in the first wave of free agency, signing quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Darnell Mooney, and trading quarterback Desmond Ridder for wide receiver Rondale Moore. Host Kevin Knight is here to break down the first moves and discuss their impact on Atlanta’s roster for 2024, remaining needs to fill, and the team’s trajectory heading into the NFL Draft.</p>
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https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/18/24104931/falcons-sign-kirk-cousins-darnell-mooney-rondale-moore-reshape-offense-free-agency-nfl-2024Kevin Knight2024-03-18T08:00:00-04:002024-03-18T08:00:00-04:00Falcons now must decide what the future looks like at quarterback
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<figcaption>Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Atlanta’s set for the short-term, but the importance of having a succession plan is difficult to overstate. </p> <p id="S9iX2o">The <a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/">Atlanta Falcons</a> have accounted for the present. For the first time since shipping Matt Ryan out of town—and arguably before then, depending on how much you think Ryan had declined before he left—the Falcons have a solidly above-average player at quarterback. The next two-to-three years are set, barring catastrophe, and Kirk Cousins will be under center and hoping to lead a resurgent Falcons offense to greater glory.</p>
<p id="LGIEjl">The future, however, is very much in flux. When the Falcons shipped out Desmond Ridder for Rondale Moore this past week, they traded away the only semi-plausible post-Cousins option on the roster, and I know semi-plausible is probably pushing it there. The only other quarterback now on the roster is Taylor Heinicke, who the coaching staff appears to like but is on the wrong side of 30 and unlikely to last longer in Atlanta than Cousins, if he even winds up in a Falcons jersey by Week 1. </p>
<p id="nTfTcD">There are costs to not having a long-term plan at quarterback, something the Falcons found out the hard way very recently. From the Marcus Mariota-to-Ridder-to-Heinicke carousel in Atlanta, to the post-Tom Brady scuffles of Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe in New England, to the Andy Dalton-to-Jameis-Winston-to-Derek Carr switch-up in New Orleans, teams generally find the sailing rough when a franchise legend is gone and you have to replace him. Having a long-term plan is neither easy nor common.</p>
<p id="301Jeg">But the Falcons should consider making it a priority, perhaps as soon as this year. We’ve seen firsthand what happens when you are the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com">Kansas City Chiefs</a> or the <a href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Buffalo Bills</a>, who have the luxury of starting a capable veteran for a year while they let their ultra high-upside quarterbacks adjust to the NFL. We know well that the <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Packers</a> appear to have perfected their approach, which involves allowing young quarterbacks to sit for multiple years behind high-end starters and counting on them being ready when the time comes. What those franchise have in common, at least over the past 5-10 years, is that they are among the league’s more successful, consistently winning franchises, and the continuity at quarterback is an incredibly vital piece of that.</p>
<p id="G1jBgJ">Atlanta doesn’t <em>have</em> to make that investment this year, as there will be good quarterbacks available in the draft in 2025 and beyond. But this is a spring where a handful of intriguing options are expected to be available in the second and maybe even third round, with Washington’s Michael Penix (who has the arm and smarts to intrigue offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, Oregon’s Bo Nix, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, and even Texas’s Quinn Ewers possibly being available beyond the first round. There’s no guarantee the Falcons like any of those players, but if they do, it would be foolish to pass one up. Atlanta owes it to themselves to follow Terry Fontenot’s state preference for plugging holes in the run-up to the draft so that if the quarterback is the most valuable player available to them in the second round (or third, if you prefer Rattler, perhaps), they can feel comfortable making that selection. </p>
<p id="CCU5Xr">The value of that isn’t hard to understand. Most quarterbacks are thrown right into the fire and most fail, but we know from Ridder’s career arc to this point that sitting for a bit is no guarantee of success. Still, if there’s a player you believe in and you have the developmental staff in place to enhance that guy’s strengths and work on his weaknesses, plus the luxury of not having to rush to play him unless injury crops up for your starter, you have a runway to a brighter future. A quarterback with a couple of seasons in your system and working with your roster is inherently more prepared to take over than a quarterback pressed into action the year he’s drafted. </p>
<p id="k7U0C5">Atlanta also has to remember that their path to a high-end rookie quarterback may not be an easy one down the line. If Cousins is as good as we’re expecting <em>slash</em> hoping he will be, the Falcons will not be in a great position to draft a quarterback in 2025 or 2026, leaving them potentially moving on from an aging quarterback and having to find yet another veteran stopgap option. Look around at teams like the Broncos, Vikings, Buccaneers, and Raiders who are trying to navigate that particular reality for one reason or another, or teams like the Jets who may soon join them. “Desperate for a quarterback” is never where you want to be, and while the Falcons are hopefully all set for the short term while Raheem Morris and company try to get this team back to legitimately contending, “desperate for a quarterback” is never all that far away. </p>
<p id="lqKtLx">The Falcons would do well to remember what happened when they <em>didn’t</em> have a good plan for Matt Ryan’s departure, something we urged them to work on for years before that trade. If the right quarterback is available on the draft’s second day, I hope the Falcons will make a move to secure the future of the quarterback position for that time in 2026 or 2027 when Cousins is no longer the plan of the present. </p>
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https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/18/24101213/falcons-now-must-decide-what-the-future-looks-like-at-quarterback-kirk-cousins-taylor-heinickeDave Choate2024-03-18T07:30:00-04:002024-03-18T07:30:00-04:00Atlanta Falcons 2024 free agency primer and tracker
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<p>Who is set to hit free agency for the Falcons, who they’ve been linked to, and more. </p> <p id="ohegYm">Free agency is almost here, and the rumors are reaching a fever pitch already for the <a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/">Atlanta Falcons</a>. The actual signings will follow soon enough. </p>
<p id="7WRQV3">Ahead of the action, here’s a primer and tracker for your perusing pleasure. Here you’ll find any signings as the Falcons make them, their current cap space per a pair of trusted sources, re-signings and free agents still to re-sign, and rumors and linked players that we’re seeing and hearing. </p>
<h3 id="G21NjU">New signings and re-signings</h3>
<p id="ssntpA"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/11/24096826/falcons-sign-qb-kirk-cousins-raheem-morris-desmond-ridder-zac-robinson-terry-fontenot-free-agency">QB Kirk Cousins</a></p>
<p id="8zUhne"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/12/24098575/falcons-sign-free-agent-wr-darnell-mooney-kirk-cousins-drake-london">WR Darnell Mooney</a></p>
<p id="45bXmO"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/14/24100824/falcons-announce-that-they-have-re-signed-wr-khadarel-hodge-free-agency-drake-london-darnell-mooney">WR KhaDarel Hodge</a></p>
<p id="v2LmTX"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/14/24100959/falcons-land-wr-rondale-moore-in-desmond-ridder-trade-drake-london">WR Rondale Moore</a> (traded from Arizona Cardinals) </p>
<p id="DKVMs6"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/14/24101175/falcons-sign-veteran-returner-and-receiver-ray-ray-mccloud-avery-williams-rondale-moore">WR/KR/PR Ray-Ray McCloud</a></p>
<p id="G1MHGt"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/11/24097665/falcons-sign-former-49ers-te-charlie-woerner-to-three-year-deal-kyle-pitts-john-fitzpatrick">TE Charlie Woerner</a></p>
<p id="EnNNV6"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/14/24100848/falcons-re-sign-offensive-lineman-storm-norton-kaleb-mcgary-jake-matthews">OL Storm Norton</a></p>
<p id="BZ2isk"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/18/24105061/falcons-bring-back-dl-kentavius-street-grady-jarrett-david-onyemata-ryan-nielsen-raheem-morris">DL Kentavius Street</a></p>
<h3 id="QLDI9y">Cap space (as of 3/14)</h3>
<p id="29RtTn"><a href="https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/atlanta-falcons">OvertheCap</a>: $4.7 million</p>
<p id="OGCxmc"><a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/cap/">Spotrac</a>: $-3.9 million ($4.78 million with Top 51) </p>
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<aside id="5TU7tx"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Bet on the 2024 NFL season at DraftKings Sportsbook","url":"https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/football/nfl"}]}'></div></aside><h3 id="p86PEy">Falcons free agents</h3>
<p id="uANeOM">QB Logan Woodside</p>
<p id="dLmseU">QB Feleipe Franks (RFA; <a href="https://twitter.com/gregauman/status/1767187233306562817">won’t be tendered</a>) </p>
<p id="VMgAPM">RB Cordarrelle Patterson</p>
<p id="xB06ih">FB Keith Smith</p>
<p id="VfiZr0">WR Van Jefferson</p>
<p id="sKSChh">WR Mack Hollins</p>
<p id="cG9j2K">WR Scotty Miller</p>
<p id="DvGgbJ">WR KhaDarel Hodge (<a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/14/24100824/falcons-announce-that-they-have-re-signed-wr-khadarel-hodge-free-agency-drake-london-darnell-mooney">re-signed with Falcons</a>) </p>
<p id="ga8aNl">TE Jonnu Smith (signed by Dolphins)</p>
<p id="1ytjgn">TE MyCole Pruitt</p>
<p id="pQArYN">OL Ethan Greenidge</p>
<p id="aRJTtx">OL Matt Hennessy (<a href="https://twitter.com/ZBerm/status/1767550102153912458">signed by Eagles</a>) </p>
<p id="6l7km2">OL Storm Norton (<a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/14/24100848/falcons-re-sign-offensive-lineman-storm-norton-kaleb-mcgary-jake-matthews">re-signed by Falcons</a>)</p>
<p id="e7IX1w">DL Calais Campbell</p>
<p id="I4rzCt">DL Kentavius Street (<a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/18/24105061/falcons-bring-back-dl-kentavius-street-grady-jarrett-david-onyemata-ryan-nielsen-raheem-morris">re-signed by Falcons</a>) </p>
<p id="bHOO31">DL Joe Gaziano</p>
<p id="RtHVz5">DL Albert Huggins (RFA)</p>
<p id="8hgEsa">OLB Bud Dupree </p>
<p id="hc1FUX">CB Jeff Okudah (<a href="https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1767275987698340268">signed by Texans</a>) </p>
<p id="cI5lG4">CB Tre Flowers</p>
<h3 id="GgyOa4">Re-signings</h3>
<p id="uPYhdo">OL Ryan Neuzil</p>
<p id="i38o5I">ILB Nate Landman</p>
<p id="a5rjXZ">LS Liam McCullough </p>
<p id="VPrTY1">WR KhaDarel Hodge</p>
<p id="GTJVMs">OL Storm Norton</p>
<h3 id="K8Lq6t">Reported interest and names to watch </h3>
<h4 id="aZy8de">Buffalo Bills DB Siran Neal</h4>
<p id="jZ41XW">Apparently, the defensive back and special teamer will be visiting with the Falcons tomorrow, should he get by the Dolphins, via Cameron Wolfe. Marquice Williams would likely be thrilled to have him. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former Bills DB and special teams ace Siran Neal is headed to meet with Dolphins tonight and Falcons tomorrow night for free agent visits, per source. <a href="https://t.co/KZbpfrRA0Q">pic.twitter.com/KZbpfrRA0Q</a></p>— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) <a href="https://twitter.com/CameronWolfe/status/1767639467995660706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a>
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<p id="vjcp5X">He signed elsewhere. </p>
<h4 id="9nBQO8">San Francisco 49ers TE Charlie Woerner</h4>
<p id="ErVOh9">This one’s done, too!</p>
<p id="bLjQ8G">Here’s a new one, per local insider Zach Klein. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Per NFl league source.. Falcons locking in on San Francisco 49ers TE Charlie Woerner</p>— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachKleinWSB/status/1767263829077942316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a>
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<p id="5rz8Hu">Woerner is a block-first tight end and former Georgia product who would presumably step in as the team’s second tight end. </p>
<h4 id="z35uHW">Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins</h4>
<p id="mly7Q7"><a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/11/24096826/falcons-sign-qb-kirk-cousins-raheem-morris-desmond-ridder-zac-robinson-terry-fontenot-free-agency">It’s done! </a></p>
<p id="hVBQVC"><strong>UPDATE 3/11: </strong>With legal tampering underway, it appears the Falcons are talking to Cousins and are optimistic they can get him. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MikeGarafolo</a> now on NFL Network regarding Kirk Cousins:<br><br>"Atlanta has felt good about it early on in this process. They feel good about their potential to land him."<br><br>Said they've been in conversations for two hours since the legal tampering period opened.</p>— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByDanielFlick/status/1767250001221042462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a>
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<p id="xNbvIU">Adam Schefter’s latest, possibly driven by Kirk Cousins’ agent seeking leverage, is that the Falcons would have to do a lot to pry the veteran quarterback loose from Minnesota. We’ll see if that’s the case when tampering opens. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Adam Schefter's latest on Kirk Cousins (Get Up): "Atlanta would have to step up in a way to essentially pry [Cousins] loose from the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vikings?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Vikings</a> and the best I can tell, I don't know if that will happen." <a href="https://t.co/2TIPCsY34b">pic.twitter.com/2TIPCsY34b</a></p>— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/realmnsportsfan/status/1767185650275565846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a>
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<p id="7BQESu"><strong>UPDATE 3/10: </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/DMRussini/status/1766980575611543781">There are dueling reports</a> out there <a href="https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1766968409764364314">right now</a>, but the sentiment seems to be that Cousins will get to free agency. If he does, there’s a sense the Falcons will probably scoop him up. </p>
<p id="4AVFGO">Widely linked to the Falcons more or less since the offseason began. Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk is reporting that <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1765081977437495726">Cousins’ family is exploring houses in Atlanta</a>, as well as that <a href="https://twitter.com/RiseUpReader/status/1765178031323099588">Kyle Pitts and Kirk Cousins may have talked</a> about who will wear the #8, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheFalcoholic/status/1765393672693072134">something Pitts has disputed</a>. <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/insider/story/_/id/39637538/2024-nfl-combine-latest-buzz-news-rumors-free-agency-draft-trades">Jeremy Fowler at ESPN</a> is one of the many analysts and reporters passing along buzz from the Combine suggesting that Cousins is a possibility for Atlanta.</p>
<p id="MnlQhI">The Falcons will have to pony up big-time for Cousins, who will want a multi-year, likely fully-or-near-fully-guaranteed deal in the twilight years of his career and is coming off an Achilles injury. The thought process here is that the Falcons are good enough to win a lot with above average quarterbacking, and Cousins is a sharp passer who fits what Zac Robinson wants to do on offense in Atlanta. That’s a tough thought process to argue with—Cousins is a good player—but you are getting an aging quarterback and would need to look at his successor sooner than later. </p>
<h4 id="BD9VpK">Kansas City Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed: Potential trade </h4>
<p id="saNY9w">The Falcons may not be sold on rolling with Clark Phillips as CB2, and may want to chase a high-end starter to pair with A.J. Terrell. If so, Sneed appears to be a name to watch.</p>
<p id="UgeVdg"><a href="https://www.sportstalkatl.com/falcons-reportedly-interested-in-trading-for-ljarius-sneed/">Veteran NFL reporter Tony Pauline</a> has linked the Falcons to a potential trade, as <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fnfl%2F2024%2F03%2F05%2Fnfl-free-agency-rumors-saquon-barkley%2F72859023007%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefalcoholic.com%2F2024%2F3%2F7%2F24092198%2Fatlanta-falcons-2024-free-agency-primer-and-tracker" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">has USA Today writer Tyler Dragon</a>. The appeal of Sneed is not hard to understand, given that he’s a very good, young player who would help the Falcons achieve a top-shelf secondary, but he would cost draft capital and a big contract. If the Falcons are going the expensive veteran quarterback route, it’s hard to see them also swapping for Sneed. </p>
<h4 id="BUAshS">Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields: Potential trade</h4>
<p id="lNdIDe">Fields was <em>the</em> hot name for a while there, but that talk has cooled of late. It’s a reminder that the betting lines and frenzied rumors around quarterback for Atlanta often flicker out as fast as they flame up. </p>
<p id="YAkRC1"><a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2024/03/04/mmqb-drake-maye-unc-combine-qb-competitive">Albert Breer at Sports Illustrated</a> mentioned the potential cost of the fifth year option as an obstacle for Atlanta, but there have been reports that the team at least has engaged in conversations with Chicago about Fields. That could be viewed as a fallback plan for the Falcons if they can’t move up in the draft or snag Cousins, though I doubt the Bears want to wait forever to move him. </p>
<h4 id="PRQFKw">Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield</h4>
<p id="C3y4OJ">He’s a bridesmaid, not a bride, for everybody but Tampa Bay. <a href="https://twitter.com/DMRussini/status/1764670305279070507">Mayfield has been linked to the Patriots, Vikings, and yes, Falcons</a>, but not as their top option. Raheem Morris and Zac Robinson both briefly worked with Mayfield in Los Angeles, and he’d be a fine fallback option <em>if</em> the Falcons miss out. As is the case with Cousins, they’d want a long-term successor, possibly in this draft. </p>
<p id="oe6a6n">The Buccaneers re-signed Mayfield, so you can tuck this one away. </p>
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https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/7/24092198/atlanta-falcons-2024-free-agency-primer-and-trackerDave Choate2024-03-18T07:15:00-04:002024-03-18T07:15:00-04:002024 Atlanta Falcons roster tracker
<figure>
<img alt="New Orleans Saints v Atlanta Falcons" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QhvnVbbl771b2tcTebOPXNrQdIE=/0x0:4085x2723/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73042917/1817245027.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our frequently updated guide to the Atlanta Falcons roster at any given moment. </p> <p id="aSPhYj">Last year, we kept track of the Falcons’ roster with regular updates via our tracker. This year, we’re kicking off a brand new 2024 <a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/">Atlanta Falcons</a> roster tracker to help us keep up with all the many changes to come in the weeks and months ahead. </p>
<p id="GKIdH2">Be sure to bookmark this page so you can return to it frequently, especially because the Falcons love to tweak their roster throughout the season. Here’s the roster as of today, featuring only those players who are under contract for 2024. That includes anyone with an existing contract and the recently signed group of reserve/future deals. New additions will be bolded. </p>
<h2 id="kSBVV5">2024 Falcons roster </h2>
<h3 id="waBorY">Offense</h3>
<p id="8IVgQf"><strong>QB Kirk Cousins</strong> <br>QB Taylor Heinicke</p>
<p id="fb3cWh">RB Bijan Robinson<br>RB Tyler Allgeier<br>RB Avery Williams<br>RB Carlos Washington </p>
<p id="C5BlpA">FB Robert Burns</p>
<p id="jJpJKr">WR Drake London<br><strong>WR Darnell Mooney</strong><br><strong>WR Rondale Moore</strong><br><strong>WR KhaDarel Hodge</strong><br><strong>WR Ray-Ray McCloud</strong><br>WR Austin Mack<br>WR Josh Ali<br>WR Chris Blair</p>
<p id="yoIb7P">TE Kyle Pitts<br><strong>TE Charlie Woerner</strong><br>TE John FitzPatrick<br>TE/FB Tucker Fisk </p>
<p id="yuzXIz">T Jake Matthews<br>T Kaleb McGary<br><strong>T Storm Norton</strong><br>T Tyler Vrabel<br>T Ryan Swoboda<br>T Barry Wesley<br>T John Leglue</p>
<p id="Sljw9n">G Chris Lindstrom<br>G Matthew Bergeron<br>G Kyle Hinton<br>G Justin Shaffer<br><strong>G/C Ryan Neuzil</strong></p>
<p id="3hQ9HQ">C Drew Dalman<br>C/G Jovaughn Gwyn</p>
<h3 id="sMK2s4">Defense</h3>
<p id="vmeLZK">DL Grady Jarrett<br>DL David Onyemata<br>DL Ta’Quon Graham<br><strong>DL Kentavius Street</strong><br>DL Zach Harrison<br>DL LaCale London<br>DL Tommy Togiai<br>DL Willington Previlon<br><br>OLB Arnold Ebiketie<br>OLB Lorenzo Carter<br>OLB DeAngelo Malone<br>OLB Ikenna Enechukwu<br>OLB Demone Harris</p>
<p id="mUFCmT">ILB Kaden Elliss<br>ILB Troy Andersen<br>ILB Nate Landman<br>ILB Donavan Mutin<br>ILB Milo Eifler</p>
<p id="cGUJAa">CB A.J. Terrell<br>CB Mike Hughes<br>CB Dee Alford<br>CB Clark Phillips<br>CB/S Natrone Brooks</p>
<p id="pdorqm">S Jessie Bates III<br>S Richie Grant<br>S DeMarcco Hellams<br>S Tre Tarpley<br>S Lukas Denis</p>
<h3 id="zQTvoA">Special Teams</h3>
<p id="cm2vKR">K Younghoe Koo</p>
<p id="0VR2pF">P Bradley Pinion</p>
<p id="qUtASA"><strong>LS Liam McCullough</strong></p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="ZbDSf9">
<h3 id="y8Pc6V">Signings </h3>
<p id="xIAfHM">QB Kirk Cousins</p>
<p id="Wz1u1c">WR Darnell Mooney</p>
<p id="etmtPi">TE Charlie Woerner</p>
<p id="wXKXWl">WR Ray-Ray McCloud</p>
<h3 id="rdkEDq">Trades</h3>
<p id="tWqtwt">WR Rondale Moore to Falcons from Cardinals </p>
<p id="WZ4Uaz">QB Desmond Ridder to Arizona Cardinals</p>
<h3 id="cYq40U">Cuts</h3>
<p id="B51VsV">TE Jonnu Smith </p>
<h3 id="jjFYtX">Re-signings</h3>
<p id="p9aUzn">WR KhaDarel Hodge</p>
<p id="A7Cy9H">OL Storm Norton</p>
<p id="aqjyuv">LS Liam McCullough</p>
<p id="Lxxgg2">OL Ryan Neuzil</p>
<p id="VD1lrH">ILB Nate Landman</p>
<p id="6QGeWH">DL Kentavius Street</p>
https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/1/10/24031756/2024-atlanta-falcons-roster-tracker-kirk-cousins-liam-mccullough-ryan-neuzil-charlie-woernerDave Choate2024-03-18T07:00:00-04:002024-03-18T07:00:00-04:00Falcons 2024 draft interest tracker
<figure>
<img alt="Indianapolis Colts v Atlanta Falcons" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5nlGl0A1k_7fNkFOZr-YuUkqryM=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73167610/1887656365.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Who are the Falcons taking a hard look at in the run-up to the 2024 NFL Draft? </p> <p id="f06QYu">The <a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/">Atlanta Falcons</a> are gearing up for the 2024 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a>, as is every team, and early reports of their interest in prospects are already filtering in.</p>
<p id="4NkdAM">As is our custom dating back many years, we have developed a tracker for that interest. As is also our custom, we’ll give you the caveat that this interest is exciting but not necessarily predictive. <a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2023/1/21/23565217/atlanta-falcons-2023-nfl-draft-interest-tracker-top-30-visits">A year ago</a>, for example, our tracker contained dozens of reports of links to players, and yet only Bijan Robinson ended up on the Falcons roster in 2023. Don’t take this as indicative, but rather as a large web of players the team <em>could</em> be interested in.</p>
<p id="8D0Snw">Let’s get to it, and we’ll continue to update as we hear names. </p>
<h3 id="nH3jDZ">Top 30 Visits</h3>
<p id="xGYcez">TE Tip Reiman, Illinois (<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinM_NFL/status/1769734267192418516">Justin Melo</a>)</p>
<h3 id="XE1kmy">NFL Scouting Combine</h3>
<p id="VvCVQV">QB Caleb Williams, USC, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1762847532168745123">Ian Rapoport</a>)</p>
<p id="VyioXp">QB Jayden Daniels, LSU, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1762990033760346539">Ian Rapoport</a>)</p>
<p id="ucRZH8">QB Drake Maye, UNC, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1762990033760346539">Ian Rapoport</a>)</p>
<p id="04wqBr">QB Michael Penix, Washington, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/DOrlandoAJC/status/1763574789824819391">D. Orlando Ledbetter</a>) </p>
<p id="YcUuYU">QB Spencer Rattler, South Carolina, meeting (<a href="https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-falcons/spencer-rattler-enjoyed-his-interview-with-the-falcons/CKRR7SZRGNDBHI3SK4JKK5SOPU/?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sports_tw">D. Orlando Ledbetter</a>)</p>
<p id="B0vETu">RB Kimani Vidal, Troy, informal meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/ByDanielFlick/status/1763594658184085600">Daniel Flick</a>)</p>
<p id="Q2olEK">WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/JarvisD90/status/1763557673839075831">Jarvis Davis</a>) </p>
<p id="usLz8a">WR Malik Washington, Virginia, informal meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/ByDanielFlick/status/1763573719161540937">Daniel Flick</a>)</p>
<p id="OqZTEH">EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/gregauman/status/1762834468354584697">Greg Auman</a>)</p>
<p id="I4Hqm2">EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/gregauman/status/1762842218245591171">Greg Auman</a>)</p>
<p id="qNqYYH">EDGE Jared Verse, FSU, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/DjShockley3/status/1762853553410826544">D.J. Shockley</a>)</p>
<p id="UQJlmF">DE Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan, meeting (<a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/atlanta-falcons-draft-combine-meetings-interviews-dallas-turner-caleb-williams-jayden-daniels-michael-penix-terry-fontenot-raheem-morris-offseason-rumors">Daniel Flick</a>)</p>
<p id="pYnbCk">DE Bralen Trace, Washington, meeting (<a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/atlanta-falcons-draft-combine-meetings-interviews-dallas-turner-caleb-williams-jayden-daniels-michael-penix-terry-fontenot-raheem-morris-offseason-rumors">Daniel Flick</a>)</p>
<p id="vYiEGe">DE Byron Murphy, Texas, meeting (<a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/falcons/news/atlanta-falcons-draft-combine-meetings-interviews-dallas-turner-caleb-williams-jayden-daniels-michael-penix-terry-fontenot-raheem-morris-offseason-rumors">Daniel Flick</a>)</p>
<p id="ONPyxk">OL Anim Dankwah, Howard, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/DOrlandoAJC/status/1763974266301612426">D. Orlando Ledbetter</a>)</p>
<p id="TVeimd">CB Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/TheFalcoholic/status/1763009604949041643">Justin Melo</a>)</p>
<p id="tXgwON">CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/ByDanielFlick/status/1763271635367264429">Daniel Flick</a>)</p>
<p id="B855q4">CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/ByDanielFlick/status/1763264088551858434">Daniel Flick</a>) </p>
<p id="wFSQSa">CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo, meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/JarvisD90/status/1763278787750350854">Jarvis Davis</a>) </p>
<p id="c456LM">S Jaylin Simpson, Auburn, two meetings (<a href="https://twitter.com/ByDanielFlick/status/1764015207481823364">Daniel Flick</a>)</p>
<h3 id="tmcutV">Shrine Bowl </h3>
<p id="DmTubc">DT Tuli Letuligasenoa, Washington, in-person meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/JustinM_NFL/status/1755985143288700992">Justin Melo</a>) </p>
<h3 id="N6pdYO">HBCU Bowl </h3>
<p id="qjzW5S">QB Davius Richard, North Carolina Central, HBCU/Hula Bowl meeting (<a href="https://twitter.com/_RyanFowler_/status/1750967555894772213?s=20">Ryan Fowler</a>)</p>
<h3 id="F13w2s">Reported/rumored interest </h3>
<p id="dUqQlC">OT Travis Glover, Georgia State, reported but unspecified interest (<a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-top-3-prospects-snubbed-2024-nfl-combine-teams-end">Tony Pauline</a>)</p>
<p id="j4ofbx"></p>
https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/2/27/24073166/atlanta-falcons-2024-draft-interest-tracker-senior-bowl-combine-2024-nfl-draftDave Choate2024-03-17T08:00:00-04:002024-03-17T08:00:00-04:00How will the Falcons improve the defense?
<figure>
<img alt="Washington Commanders v Atlanta Falcons" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7k_7m0ujZ-Tk8cLocN0tW0ROEv4=/0x0:4781x3187/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73212967/1750227717.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Kara Durrette/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The team can’t stand pat after a resurgent 2023, so what’s next? </p> <p id="RGd66r">The <a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/">Atlanta Falcons</a> have their special teams group pretty well locked in, at least as far as specialists go, and probably have their offense 85-90% locked in. For a team with a new coaching staff and plenty of question marks this offseason, getting all of that sewn up in the first week of free agency is pretty impressive, and it puts the Falcons in a good position for the season ahead.</p>
<p id="2rljA6">But because the work is not totally done on offense—they could use improved depth, at the very least—and the defense has remained untouched, it’s clear the team still has work to do. I promised we’d talk about the defense after diving in to the state of the offense last week, and now seems like a fine time to look at what the Falcons </p>
<h3 id="ute4IP">An EDGE rusher with a track record, upside, or both </h3>
<p id="yZGmOY">The Falcons are heading into the season with, essentially, Arnold Ebiketie, DeAngelo Malone, and Lorenzo Carter as their EDGE rusher group, with Zach Harrison potentially mixing in. Ebiketie seems like he’ll be a consistent 6-8 sack guy in the NFL, Harrison has truly intriguing upside but may move around the line a bit, Carter is a useful player and inconsistent pass rusher, and Malone was essentially mothballed the entire 2023 season. Barring major leaps from Ebiketie and Harrison, this group needs help, even if Malone can be a contributor with the coaching staff change as I hope he can be. </p>
<p id="MGYxhE">The Falcons have clearly been trying, as they were strongly linked to Montez Sweat but were outbid and tried for Danielle Hunter but were outbid again. The market for EDGE rushers worth a damn has already thinned out, as it always does, and that leaves the Falcons scrounging for mid-to-upper tiers players who may be expensive, turning to the draft, or both. Simply rolling with the group they have is not an option.</p>
<p id="aVOnwM">The Falcons could try to pry away Michael Hoecht from the Rams, who put a right-of-first-refusal tender on him, and nab a player who has been good for 4-6 sacks, pairing that group with first rounder pass rusher Dallas Turner. It’s worth noting that the team is <a href="https://twitter.com/Jordan_Reid/status/1768328343357702156">already being strongly linked to Turner</a> and that he has the upside to be a top option, so adding a useful veteran to the group and swinging for the fences with Turner may well get this group to where it needs to be. Right now, with the team’s limited cap space and limited options in the market, it’s fair to be nervous about a position group the Falcons never seem to fully fix.</p>
<h3 id="JUCFpU">A starting safety...maybe</h3>
<p id="2Ban1V">At the very least, the Falcons need to add a useful player to this group. Richie Grant shouldn’t be an unquestioned starter, no matter how good this coaching staff feels about their ability to work through some of his coverage flaws and lapses in tackling, and DeMarcco Hellams isn’t a slam dunk starter either. The Falcons may very well love one or both of these guys and think they can maximize what they bring to the table, and if so, I look forward to seeing it happen. In that scenario, perhaps all you need is a veteran with special teams upside, like former Bills defensive back Siran Neal. The Falcons did try to get a visit with him before he signed with the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a>, it’s worth mentioning.</p>
<p id="9AtSw7">But given the ifs, ands, and buts above, it’s fair to wonder if a new coaching staff will want to just get their own guy and carry a really strong reserve duo in Grant and Hellams. This is an absolutely flooded free agent safety market, with a ton of proven starters readily available to teams with the cash. The Falcons may be waiting to see someone set that market by inking one of the top safeties, but if they have the money and the desire, they shouldn’t wait around long to get their guy. Pairing Bates with another strong starter and letting Hellams, Grant, or both work as the third safety depending on the day would give Atlanta one of the better groups in the league; that’s worth salivating over. </p>
<h3 id="8LVXlq">Cornerback help </h3>
<p id="zbXRqn">I really like Clark Phillips, and I really like Dee Alford. I would be comfortable having both serve as starters with A.J. Terrell, with the addition of some veteran depth to help the Falcons out. I don’t think that’s going to be the team’s stance, however.</p>
<p id="8BuXTb">Getting someone in to at least compete with Phillips for a starting job feels like it will be important for the Falcons, who count former defensive backs coaches among their head coach, defensive coordinator, and assistant head coach. There’s a significant group of 30-plus former starters out there, including Xavien Howard and Stephon Gilmore, so the Falcons certainly will have options if they’re willing to pay up. With free agent money looking a bit tight in the immediate future and with a quality group of corners in this draft class, however, I would not be shocked at all to see the Falcons invest in one on the draft’s second day.</p>
<p id="p0dszR">That might leave Phillips and Alford duking it out for nickel cornerback duty; if nothing else, Atlanta will have terrific depth. </p>
<h3 id="lNRDks">Re-stocking the cupboard at defensive tackle </h3>
<p id="F7sIvf">The Falcons have starters in Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata, and Ta’Quon Graham and LaCale London are solid depth. Where the team will likely play a lot of 3-4 fronts, though, they could use more help and another player who adds something to the pass rush, if not a true nose tackle option. Teair Tart could be an interesting free agent addition, and while you’re going to laugh at me for this one, perhaps Raheem Morris would like another crack at Marlon Davison, who he coached during Davidson’s rookie season back in 2020. There aren’t a ton of options out there that really move the needle, though, so expect the Falcons to be reliant on their pair of aging but effective starters. </p>
<p id="8Kg69o">Beyond that, the Falcons still need to stock depth across the board, something they’ll likely hope to do with affordable free agents down the line and late draft picks. Landing a compelling starter up front and addressing safety, cornerback, or both with a high-end option would leave the Falcons in pretty good shape on that side of the ball, setting them up for an improved season in 2024.</p>
<p id="kyvrf4">Now it’s just a matter of seeing how the Falcons plan to tackle these needs. </p>
https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/17/24102187/how-will-the-falcons-improve-the-defense-edge-rusher-cornerback-safetyDave Choate2024-03-16T08:00:00-04:002024-03-16T08:00:00-04:00Why Kirk Cousins for the Falcons? Familiarity and fit figure in
<figure>
<img alt="Green Bay Packers v Minnesota Vikings" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yvZZumYKz4baRQeaJeg0eJQXPs0=/44x0:4625x3054/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73211355/1904995221.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Raheem Morris doesn’t just know Kirk Cousins, he knows what a player like Kirk Cousins can do. </p> <p id="kI7xDd">When Kirk Cousins began his career, he did so as the backup to Robert Griffin III in Washington. While Raheem Morris was no longer in Washington when Cousins seized the full-time starting job and broke out in 2015, those three years gave Morris a chance to see a young, promising quarterback begin to find his way in the league in relief of Griffin, whose career was ultimately derailed by injury. </p>
<p id="UBzSUx">The next stop for Morris was Atlanta, where he spent a number of years coaching both sides of the ball and ultimately serving as the interim head coach after Dan Quinn’s 0-5 start to the 2020 season saw him canned. There, he saw the caliber of passing attack that Kyle Shanahan, Steve Sarkisian, and Dirk Koetter could do with Matt Ryan, the Falcons legend and one of the sharper passers of his generation.</p>
<p id="S4P35i">At his next stop, Morris won a <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a> with Matthew Stafford at the helm of Sean McVay’s offense, once again seeing a team succeed (this time more than he ever had the opportunity to see in Washington or Atlanta) with a sharp, 30-plus passer working with a talented supporting cast. While Shanahan and McVay’s offenses are not the same, especially not after years to tinker and diverge, the similarities had to stand out to Morris.</p>
<p id="Q0Re68">In Atlanta again, Morris and his new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who spent time working on the passing game and with quarterbacks in Los Angeles, now needed to find their next quarterback. There were a dozen roads they could have traveled to get there, but the one they chose is at once bold and familiar. For a coach who saw a pair of great pocket passers pilot his teams to Super Bowls, and for an offensive coordinator who was fresh off successful seasons with one of those quarterbacks, the choice seemed easy enough. It was time for Morris to go back to that once-young passer he saw over a decade ago in Washington: Kirk Cousins.</p>
<h3 id="diFUWJ">Why Cousins? </h3>
<p id="303NHy">It’s overly simplistic to suggest that Morris and Robinson wanted their own Matt Ryan or Matthew Stafford to pilot the offense, but I don’t think it’s at all inaccurate. The fact that the Rams <em>just</em> won a Super Bowl in 2021 and enjoyed a surprisingly successful season in 2023 despite years of shackled cap and limited draft picks with Stafford clearly made an outsized impression on both coaches and had them looking for a player who could deliver as an accurate passer and veteran leader with what should be a very capable supporting cast. </p>
<p id="YNTh02">The logical choice, if you’re looking for those qualities, is a player you know who has worked in a system similar to the one you intend to run. Cousins checks those boxes because he knows Morris, even it’s not particularly well, and because the Kevin O’Connell offense he was running in Minnesota will likely bear a striking resemblance to the one Robinson will be running in Atlanta, given that both coaches have worked closely with McVay. Cousins does not have the arm talent that Stafford brings to bear—and is not, in my humble opinion, the same caliber of player as either Ryan or Stafford—but has a proven track record of playing well in an offense that heavily relies on accuracy, timing, and play action excellence. That’s essentially what he’ll be asked to do in Atlanta under Robinson, if history is our guide. </p>
<p id="qgRNu9">So familiarity is a core reason the Falcons ultimately went and signed Cousins. If you take that out of the equation, you land on:</p>
<ul>
<li id="TzRYbE">Cousins’ core skillset, which I mentioned above. He’s an accurate passer with a good sense of timing who has worked to become better at some of the things he used to be shaky at, including keeping a play alive and not making panicky decisions under pressure. He is never going to have an elite skill set, but he’s a very good pocket passer who had a knack for maximizing the weapons he had in Minnesota. It probably was not difficult for Morris and Robinson to see him playing well in Atlanta, given the offense already built for him and what Robinson wants from his quarterbacks. </li>
<li id="Qt3mcL">He’s a player the team can rely on and is excited about. I don’t think anyone had to put Kyle Pitts up to recruiting Cousins once it became clear he was on the team’s radar; this was about Pitts coveting Cousins’ ability to run a passing attack and his locker room presence. <a href="https://www.vikings.com/news/kirk-cousins-connections-future-decisions">Vikings who played with Cousins</a> have talked about that last piece, and there’s little doubt that Cousins commands the kind of respect and has the kind of ability to lead a team that the Falcons were lacking in the past couple of years, no matter how much teammates might have liked Mariota, Ridder, or Heinicke. The fact that Cousins has the ability to unlock bigger and better things for Pitts, London, and new teammate Darnell Mooney doesn’t just appeal to fans and the coaching staff, but the players themselves. </li>
<li id="bjZeFZ">The contract is <em>expensive</em>, but it’s not the backbreaking four-year pact that it appears to be at a glance. The Falcons were able to structure it in such a way that Cousins is fairly affordable in 2024 and expensive but not stupidly expensive in 2025, allowing them to keep building the team. Those last two years feature a costly-but-not-impossible out and then a more reasonable one, should Cousins fall off or the Falcons unearth a long-term starter they’re eager to get into the lineup. It’s basically one affordable year, one expensive year, and the possibility of more if the Falcons and Cousins want to keep the good times rolling. </li>
<li id="lI8NEf">Finally, and perhaps cynically, Cousins was simply the best option the Falcons felt they could reasonably get. Despite early rumors, the interest in Justin Fields was apparently not there, and the cost to trade up and options available did not align in a way that the Falcons felt made sense, judging by the fact that they...well, they didn’t decide to do it. Cousins was the best quarterback available, cost and age and Achilles injury be damned, and </li>
</ul>
<h3 id="DWvwtr">What are the potential downsides? </h3>
<p id="mnDoYb">We’ve touched on these items briefly in the past and will likely have occasion to do so again in the future, but there are a few that spring readily to mind:</p>
<ul>
<li id="VAhE65">Cousins is older. He has not shown any signs of slowing down—quite the contrary—but he is coming off the most significant injury of his NFL career and relatively few quarterbacks stay great into their late 30s. Cousins has never been overly reliant on his physical tools, but any decline in arm strength, processing speed, and even mobility will quickly cut into his production and upside. That decline is likely to hit before the end of his contract, at the very least. </li>
<li id="8gASZX">Cousins is coming off a significant injury. The Falcons expect him to be fully healthy, per the NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, but it is difficult not to worry that Cousins will be more susceptible to injuries of that kind as he gets older. It’s also fair to worry that he won’t be 100% right out of the gate, even if he and the team seem optimistic, which could have early season ramifications for a team that desperately wants to win right now. There just are no sure things with injuries for older players. </li>
<li id="LLQbGJ">Cousins is not an elite quarterback. This is obvious to everyone, including the Falcons, but it’s worth mentioning that the Falcons did not just acquire one of the great quarterbacks in the league in the prime of his career. The Falcons are hoping to capture some of that Matthew-Stafford-to-the-Rams magic with this acquisition, but while Cousins raises the floor <em>significantly </em>for Atlanta, his crunchtime play is a mixed bag and he is not known for his ability to carry a team injuries mount and the stakes rise. The fact that he’s damn good means the Falcons should be a much better team in the short-term, but whether he’ll make the massive difference for this franchise that I think they envision remains to be seen. </li>
</ul>
<h3 id="asikwM">Why did Cousins choose Atlanta? </h3>
<p id="hhByuc">This one’s easy to figure out, actually. When the connection was just “hey, Kirk Cousins’ wife is from the area!” it was easy to be skeptical. When Cousins sees a familiar offense filled with playmakers, gets to be near family in a city he’s clearly fond of, and gets a massive contract to do that, the appeal is easier to see. </p>
<p id="b91gp4">And that’s what Cousins talked about in his <a href="https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/13/24100255/kirk-cousins-talks-kyle-pitts-recruitment-excitement-over-landing-in-atlanta-darnell-mooney">opening press conference</a>: The appeal of the area, the strong fit he sees with the team, and yes, his familiarity with Raheem Morris and the offensive scheme. For a player heading into what might be the final stretch of a productive career, the chance to plug into a built-up offense that will play to his strengths has to be appealing, and it appears it was for Cousins. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="GUwhtj">
<p id="Mrm0QI">The Falcons were clearly eager to get this done, and Cousins was clearly eager to come to Atlanta. If the next two-to-four seasons see that combination propel this franchise back into relevance and perhaps much more than that, that eagerness will prove fortunate indeed. Either way, the familiarity and fit on both sides should create optimism that this thing will work out in the short-term. </p>
https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2024/3/16/24098024/why-kirk-cousins-for-the-falcons-familiarity-and-fit-figure-in-raheem-morris-zac-robinsonDave Choate