:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53606187/usa_today_9832268.0.jpg)
Today started with Dave recapping a quiet first day of free agency legal tampering, noting the relative silence and ending with the line “For the sake of this website’s traffic, though, I hope today brings something interesting.”
Well, today did get interesting, starting with an early-afternoon nugget buried in a Jason LaCanfora report saying that the Falcons could be one of a few teams considering signing Chiefs NT Dontari Poe.
Ok, fine, maybe that buried LaCanfora nugget didn’t rank especially high on the Richter interesting scale.
But then, at 3:09 p.m., Ian Rapoport tweeted that the Bills reached an agreement with Falcons fan-favorite fullback Patrick DiMarco on a 4-year deal.
Source: The #Bills are bringing in FB Patrick DiMarco formerly of the #Falcons. It’s a 4-year deal worth $8.5M. More than $4M guaranteed.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2017
And five minutes later, at 3:14 p.m., Adam Schefter tweeted that the Falcons and Matt Schaub reached an agreement on a 2-year $9 million deal.
Falcons and QB Matt Schaub reached agreement on a two-year, $9 million deal, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2017
Predictably, Falcons Twitter had strong reactions to the rapid-fire news.
Falcons lose Pro Bowl FB Patrick Dimarco to the Bills for $8.5 mil
— Its Shanahan's Fault (@_fortheloveofAj) March 8, 2017
Falcons sign backup Matt Schaub for $9 mil
Me: pic.twitter.com/wIxopB958H
@RapSheet pic.twitter.com/bvniEuS1uv
— Chase Masri (@Cmasri1222) March 8, 2017
@TheFalcoholic pic.twitter.com/eTyuaALBM8
— Chris Bolden (@Bolden7) March 8, 2017
@TheFalcoholic This sucks... :(
— BlaccNRedd (@BlaccNRedd) March 8, 2017
#Falcons are the worst https://t.co/GxBqAbiPTn
— Aaron Freeman (@falcfans) March 8, 2017
@RapSheet I'm going to vomit.
— Christopher Pedro (@cpmx86) March 8, 2017
@RapSheet pic.twitter.com/KauWqZ0gnP
— #1 Falcons Fan (@TylerKitchens) March 8, 2017
@RapSheet pic.twitter.com/7iHzTxav2U
— 25 Goddamn Points (@SalSagev_) March 8, 2017
So the Falcons let DiMarco walk, he goes to the bills for 4 years 8.5 mil, but then we re-sign Matt Schaub for 2 years 9 mil...... pic.twitter.com/vUi5lB1uhp
— Mike Strazik (@Big_Mike1027) March 8, 2017
"@AdamSchefter Falcons and QB Matt Schaub reached agreement on a two-year, $9 million deal, per sources." << pic.twitter.com/rbUvLfI3XB
— Ant (@iAmAnt__) March 8, 2017
@TheFalcoholic why why why why why
— FALCONS (@JulioTheGoat_) March 8, 2017
@TheFalcoholic pic.twitter.com/fJ6v2kJQV0
— 25 Goddamn Points (@SalSagev_) March 8, 2017
live look at #Falcons twitter right now with the DiMarco/Schaub news pic.twitter.com/EKMtBAiwAZ
— Scott Carasik (@CarasikS) March 8, 2017
Apparently deals get done after lunch in NFL, as they’re now coming fast and physical
— Aaron Freeman (@falcfans) March 8, 2017
How could you, @PatDiMarco42? I thought we had something special
— James Darden (@jwdarden94) March 8, 2017
As the minutes and hours passed by, some of us eventually worked our way to the acceptance stage.
Re-signed Schaub but let our all-pro FB walk? How that work?
— bartolo colón szn (@hashim_cole) March 8, 2017
It's baseball season. Not even gonna get mad about this.
Simplest one is that the #Falcons placed an upper value on the fullback position, and DiMarco got more than it. Valued vet QB backup more https://t.co/8DGkcXe57w
— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) March 8, 2017
For those angered #Falcons paid Schaub & didn't DiMarco... think financially, but also about positional importance. FB isn't high on list
— Knox Bardeen (@knoxbardeen) March 8, 2017
@AdamSchefter Matt Schaub is our sneaky OC
— Brett Hanna (@brtthanna) March 8, 2017
To focus on positives, Falcons acquired DiMarco off the street, got Pro Bowl/All-Pro seasons out of him & might now get a compensatory pick.
— Steve (@SteveInBrooklyn) March 8, 2017
Something else to keep in mind re DiMarco: he only played in about 30% of the Falcons' offensive & special teams snaps.
— Steve (@SteveInBrooklyn) March 8, 2017
This is a fair point, and as noted in the article, Schaub's familiarity with the offense is likely a big reason he got this contract https://t.co/vfi5D9rbrw
— The Falcoholic (@TheFalcoholic) March 8, 2017
And then some of the finer humans among us moved along to the DiMarco-appreciation-and-well-wishes stage.
Happy for @PatDiMarco42 even though I'm sad he's leaving Atlanta. He's been a joy to cover. Hope you and your sweet family love Buffalo.
— Jeanna (@jeannathomas) March 8, 2017
Congrats on the new contract in Buffalo @PatDiMarco42 , we'll miss you here in ATL. You'll always be remembered as part of the 2016 Falcons!
— Nathan Butler Jr. (@ATLSportsNate) March 8, 2017
Gonna miss @PatDiMarco42 truly one of the good guys in the league... congrats on the new deal
— Beau Morgan (@squidbilly929) March 8, 2017
Devonta + DiMarco was an immaculate combination past two years. I'll miss it very much
— Aaron Freeman (@falcfans) March 8, 2017
I miss DiMarco already
— Eric Robinson (@ERobinsonRSEN) March 8, 2017
Thanks for everything DiMarco gone miss you in the backfield @PatDiMarco42 #ForeverRiseUp
— Shareef (@_C_Hall_) March 8, 2017
So long Patrick Dimarco. Stud fullback for the falcons. Gonna miss him.
— Jake Cooper (@coopsquad75) March 8, 2017
Gonna miss dimarco in the backfield
— DIRTY BIRD NATION (@FalconsTheGoat) March 8, 2017
Congrats to @PatDiMarco42 on his pay day. Be sad to see him leave ATL, bills got a good one. Good luck in buffalo #42
— Martin Gisborne (@Gunner_1986) March 8, 2017
We'll miss you @PatDiMarco42! Go kick NE's ass twice a year.
— Falcons Kingdom (@FalconsKingdom) March 8, 2017
Sincerely,
All of Falcons Kingdom.
And we then stood back and marveled at how Matt Schaub manages to add to his millions of dollars of career earnings, after having started only two games combined over the last three full seasons.
Keep getting dem checks Matt Schaub
— Aaron Freeman (@falcfans) March 8, 2017
If Schaub makes a few million $$ this year as a de facto asst QB coach and scout team QB, that sure sounds like nice work if you can get it.
— Steve (@SteveInBrooklyn) March 8, 2017
If reported numbers are correct, Schaub becomes the third-highest paid backup QB in the NFL (according to Spotrac)
— Mike Conti (@MikeConti929) March 8, 2017
So there we have it - a busy afternoon during which Matt Schaub re-signs, Patrick DiMarco departs, and #FalconsTwitter is filled with a wild range of emotions and reactions.
But it’s conforming to know that no matter what happens in Falcons free agency, and no matter which players come and go, that #FalconsTwitter will always be there to be our constant (yet wildly erratic), calming (yet stress-inducing) safe (yet scary) space.
Let’s see what the rest of Falcons free agency brings. Onward!