PFFs Best Free Agent Wide Receivers: Potential Falcons Targets

With Roddy White's status with the team uncertain, and no clear "WR2" to take the pressure off Julio, most fans expect the team to try and find a long-term option to line-up opposite Jones. While there are some intriguing prospects in the draft, the Falcons may opt to look towards free agency to fill the void. PFF has listed their top 9 free agent wide receivers for 2016. Who might the Falcons consider? Let's take a look.

The name at the top of the list is Alshon Jeffery. Let's get this out of the way first: the chances the Bears let this talented receiver walk are slim. If he does hit the market, he'll be a hot commodity and probably price himself out of what the Falcons are looking to spend.

At number 2 is Marvin Jones. There's a decent chance he'll hit the market. Jones worked perfectly for the Bengals in a WR2 role (next to AJ Green) so there's little reason to believe he can't do the same in Atlanta. While he doesn't possess elite speed, he has enough to help push the field.

Of the prospects on this list, Travis Benjamin - at the fourth spot - may be one of the best options. He has great speed and also has prior experience playing under Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. While he has demonstrated a propensity to drop the ball, he can help take the top off a defense - opening up more opportunities underneath, and giving safeties another body to worry about downfield.

There are a couple of veteran options listed as well in James Jones and Nate Washington. These receivers would merely be stop-gap solutions and should only be considered if the team is also looking to draft a long-term replacement for Roddy. That's not to say that they shouldn't be options, but the price and contract would need to make sense. This seems unlikely though. If the team is going to go with a veteran receiver, it would probably make sense to stick with White and turn to the draft.

Though not yet free agents, two names not listed here are Redskins receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson. Both players could end up as free agents due to cap concerns. Similar to Benjamin, both players have a previous connection to Shanahan, which could make them targets of the team.

What are your thoughts on this crop of potential free agent receivers?