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The Falcons have been pretty quiet after the initial free agency frenzy, supplementing the additions of players like Alex Mack and Mohamed Sanu with guys like LaRoy Landry and Tom Compton. They still, however, have needs to fill, and there are players who are still available in free agency to address those needs.
Especially with Nate Stupar off to New Orleans (gross), the roster continues to be thin at the linebacker position. The Falcons have Brooks Reed, Paul Worrilow and Sean Weatherspoon under contract, and that's it, folks. Many do expect the Falcons to take a linebacker early in the 2016 NFL Draft, but with only five picks, they can't wholly address the position without adding some additional players.
Brandon Marshall of the Denver Broncos would be a huge upgrade at inside linebacker. Marshall was a restricted free agent, and the Broncos placed a second round tender on him, and they would be able to match any offer the Falcons would make, so he's not that easy to sign. If the Broncos opted to not match the Falcons' offer to Marshall, Atlanta would have to give up a second round pick to get him, so while he's a huge upgrade and is probably worth considering, it's not an ideal scenario with only five picks to work with this season.
The Browns just cut inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, and while Dansby is aging, he was Cleveland's leading tackler last season. Dansby is also a definite upgrade in terms of coverage ability from the middle linebacker spot, so regardless of his age, he's worth considering. Last season, Dansby had 108 combined tackles, six pass deflections, three interceptions, and he returned two of those picks for touchdowns.
Strong safety remains a need for the Falcons, and Walter Thurmond is maybe the best option still available. Thurmond was a cornerback but transitioned to strong safety during one season with the Philadelphia Eagles. It helped that Thurmond was in the backfield with free safety Malcolm Jenkins, who is quite good, but Thurmond adapted to the strong safety role nicely. He finished the season with 71 combined tackles, two sacks, a safety, seven pass deflections and three interceptions. If nothing else, it would be interesting for the Falcons to have two converted cornerbacks playing both safety positions.
How do you think the Falcons could address their needs before the draft with players who are still on the market?