Tevin Coleman wants to stay with the Falcons in 2019 and beyond

With the Atlanta Falcons rejuvenating interest into the 2018 season, it’s taken the focus a bit off where the team will be next spring.

Though, with 2019 poised to arrive sooner than any of us would like, it’s fair to begin to consider what will happen with the upcoming free agents.

ESPN’s Vaughn McClure caught up with RB Tevin Coleman to see where his mind is at for the future. Hint: It’s still in Flowery Branch.

Sometimes, this is the requisite answer for any and all pending free agents. But the “of course” gives it a little added emphasis. Maybe Coleman really is happy to be with the Falcons and isn’t all that eager to leave anytime soon. It could cause his camp to get in touch with the team now to get a deal worked out before the year’s out.

But then again, Coleman could command a Jerick McKinnon-type deal with an organization who sees him as a feature player (McKinnon will earn $30 million over four years with the Niners). The Falcons will have some money to use once the spring rolls around, but the team did just give Freeman an extension last year. It makes it a tough conversation to have, for a variety of reasons.

Coleman has had a solid season as the team’s starter, rushing for nearly 400 yards and a touchdown and receiving 205 yards and four touchdowns. Steve Sarkisian is really just now beginning to use him properly, and it’s exciting to think he could return to 2016 levels if this holds up.

For now, we’ll enjoy Coleman being in a Falcons uniform while we can, and hope that he’s going to be in one for the foreseeable future.