:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27409967/gyi0061183968.0.jpg)
Thomas DeCoud could be replaced by a veteran safety, per ESPN's Vaughan McClure.
Will the Falcons add a veteran safety this offseason? GM Thomas Dimitroff's response to the question. http://t.co/J704bhx6Se
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) January 24, 2014
This isn't particularly surprising. The Falcons could save about $3 million in 2014 and more going forward by cutting ties with DeCoud, who had a disastrous 2013 season. There's no guarantee that DeCoud won't bounce back, but the Falcons need to decide whether his $4.8 million cap hit is worth that gamble. My guess is that they'll decide it is not.
Dimitroff offered up his usual roundabout answer on this question:
"Do we need a safety? I think it’s always important to have good, experienced safeties and safeties that will make plays on the ball and be adept and consistent tacklers,’’ Dimitroff responded. "So, we will always look to continue to improve depth, like we’ve always said. Improving our group of safeties, that’s always going to be an important thing for us.’’
If you're not gleaning much from that, you're hardly alone, which leads me to suspect McClure has more concrete reasons to think the Falcons are looking to upgrade at free safety. The name that springs to mind is Jairus Byrd, but he'll have to make it out of Buffalo first. There are a variety of options who have less upside than DeCoud but can probably offer steadier 2014 performances, as well.
Read the full article and let us know what you think. Is DeCoud coming back?
