Falcons free agency: How much cap space does Atlanta have after Dontari Poe?

Last week, we talked about how the Falcons had enough cap space for one big splash and a couple of minor signings before they get to the NFL Draft. With the $8 million going to Dontari Poe, we’ve reached the point where no more big splashes will be possible.

You’ll get different numbers from different sources, but the Falcons certainly are in the range of $4.5-$5.5 million, and likely on the lower end of that range. You’ll need a few million to get your draft class under contract, so unless we’re talking veteran minimum deals, this team is done for the moment. They will have a chance to get a couple of veterans after June 1, when Tyson Jackson’s status as a post-June 1 cut means they’ll have an additional couple of million to play with.

At this point, though, the draft is where the action’s coming. The Falcons walked out of free agency with several key free agents re-signed, a defensive end/defensive tackle hybrid added to the rotation, a savvy veteran receiver and return option added, and a big-time defensive tackle who could give the defense a major boost. Considering the strength of the roster and the team’s relative lack of cap space, they made out pretty well.