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The Falcons have William Moore and some young talent at safety, but they were heading into 2015 with some legitimate question marks at one safety spot. I'm not sure re-signing Charles Godfrey solves that, but it gives the Falcons veteran competition for a safety job, at the very least.
The Falcons have signed safety Charles Godfrey to a contract extension today
— Jay Adams (@FalconsJAdams) March 5, 2015
S Charles Godfrey signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Falcons.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 5, 2015
Godfrey, 29, was cut by the Carolina Panthers last year and swiftly picked up by the Falcons, where he appeared in five games without recording any tackles or other defensive stats. You can't bank on him returning to anything more than a veteran depth role, but it's a little bit of a surprising signing, even so. It's noteworthy that Godfrey received more than the veteran minimum, which may hint that the team envisions him competing for a starting gig, or at least providing real snaps. We don't know how much of his contract is guaranteed, either.
In his prime, Godfrey was a durable, capable safety with good range and coverage chops, but he looked like a shell of himself in 2014, fresh off of an Achilles injury. It's noteworthy that those injuries have a long recovery time and that Godfrey may look more like himself in 2015, and if so, this one-year deal might provide some nice value for a Falcons team that likes to dive into the bargain bin. If not, chances are the Falcons will bring in further competition, and he'll be guaranteed nothing.
Let's hope Godfrey provides good value, no matter his role. We welcome him back.