NFL free agency rumor tracker for the Atlanta Falcons

It can be difficult to keep up with all the free agent reports and rumors swirling around, which is why we thought it would be logical to collect all those rumors in one place for your perusing pleasure. That place is here.

We’ll share Falcons free agency rumors and more on a daily basis here, in reverse chronological order. Scroll and learn something.

March 15

We kind of got numb to the silence, but the Falcons have gotten busier in recent days. They signed Andre Roberts, re-signed Kemal Ishmael, and most intriguingly, they’re not out on Dontari Poe just yet.

The Falcons, as I’ve noted, aren’t in a position to stand pat at defensive tackle, and this is a draft class that thins out pretty quickly. It doesn’t have to be a big-time player like Poe, but the Falcons need a member of the rotation that is an improvement on the likes of Tyson Jackson and an aging Jonathan Babineaux, or that’s going to be a trouble spot again in 2017 even if Grady Jarrett is ready to make the leap.

March 10

There’s more Dontari Poe smoke to talk about today, and intriguingly, it involves a one year deal.

Poe would be a tremendous addition for the Falcons’ run defense, so I support this.

March 9

Terrell McClain, one of the few free agents the Falcons have been persistently linked to, is reportedly going to Washington. So much for that!

March 8

The Falcons are interested in a young, gifted pass rusher? Oh, heavens yes!

Perry really only has one great year, which should automatically make you wary about him, but this is deeply intriguing. The Falcons need another capable pass rusher to pair with Vic Beasley, and if Perry’s production this past season is any indication of his true ability, he could be that guy. Signing Perry as the team’s big free agent splash would let them spend their draft capital on the interior of their lines, which would be a welcome development. Stay tuned!

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Jason La Canfora, who is wrong a lot but tends to be pretty plugged-in when it comes to players on Washington’s radar, has this to say about Dontari Poe:

In their perfect scenario, the Redskins would swap free agent defensive tackle Chris Baker, who has interest from Jacksonville, Tampa, Denver and others, for free agent tackle Dontari Poe. Poe’s price wont be cheap however, and he could end up opting for a one-year deal in order to hit the market again in 2018, when the defensive tackle class should be weak. The Chiefs will be hard pressed to keep Poe at this point, but Indianapolis, Oakland, Atlanta and others continue to monitor his market.

Poe would be a replacement (and genuine upgrade) space eater on the defensive line, taking the place of incumbent former Kansas City run stopper Tyson Jackson. He likely wouldn’t come cheap, so file this one away as a “hrmm hrmm hrmm” rather than a “when does he sign?”

March 7

Shead is a name to stash. The Falcons haven’t expressed any interest (yet), but he’s a big cornerback who can play safety in a pinch, and the Falcons may very well look for him as veteran depth.

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Hard pass. Fluker still may have some upside and has shown signs of having first round promise, but he wasn’t released by the Chargers on a lark, and at 340 pounds and a bit slow-footed, he’s not the best fit for this offensive line, either.

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Legal tampering starts! Stay tuned to this space, we’ll have updates and rumors as they roll in.

March 5

The Scouting Combine took up most of the oxygen today, so there just wasn’t much to be had for the Falcons.

Do keep an eye on both of these players, however.

Campbell is going to get one of this year’s most massive contracts, thanks to his excellent overall ability and rare pass rushing prowess from the interior. Teams with a ton of cap space and a need to splurge will probably bid way up on him, meaning you could see him land somewhere like San Francisco or Cleveland if the money goes high enough. Unless he’s firmly dedicated to playing for a Super Bowl contender, sadly, Atlanta probably doesn’t have much of a shot.

Jefferson might be a different story, but only if the Falcons are interesting in adding a player of his caliber to the mix at safety. He’s very fast, very athletic, and has been very productive as a starter in Arizona, and there’s little doubt he’d be at least a terrific third safety in Atlanta, if not a starter. He won’t cost as much as Campbell, but he could still be expensive.

Ultimately, the Falcons haven’t made a habit of splurging for any one player on defense in free agency, and that may not change this year. These guys would be worth it, though.

March 4

Atlanta’s been linked to Terrell McClain for a couple of weeks now, and while Seattle’s got to be a legitimate contender for his services as well, the Falcons should have a great shot at the veteran defensive tackle. The former Cowboy will be 29 years old in 2017 and figures to be part of a rotation wherever he goes, but he’s got a clear path to playing time in Atlanta, which currently has three DTs with any experience on the roster and may cut ties with Tyson Jackson.

He shouldn’t break the bank.

March 3

• Patrick DiMarco is a priority, but the Falcons aren’t going to break the bank for a fullback, even if he’s the best one in football. McClure thinks he could be on to San Francisco, which would suck.
• Levine Toilolo and Kemal Ishmael are priorities, but Toilolo may not be an easy sell. This is logical when you consider that he’s coming off his best season and may be able to land somewhere with less competition for snaps.
• Courtney Upshaw and Matt Schaub should both return, if they want to. I’m not overly enthused about Schaub as a backup, but Upshaw was a useful piece.
• Eric Weems, Jacob Tamme, Jonathan Babineaux, and Paul Worrilow are probably all headed elsewhere. Weems has been a great Falcons special teamer for a while but was always going to be replaced as a returner, Babineaux is a Falcons legend coming to the end of his career, and Tamme and Worrilow were both useful players who can be replaced.

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Check back. We’ll try to update this at least once per day.