Falcons “strongly interested” in tight end Ed Dickson

The Falcons were linked to impending free agent tight end Ed Dickson earlier this offseason, and as free agency inches closer, that interest apparently has not waned.

Dickson is an uninspiring choice compared to, say, a rookie early rounder like Mike Geisicki or Hayden Hurst, but he’s been around the NFL for a long time for good reason. He’s a capable receiver—though not a real red zone asset—and a fine blocker, and he’s probably a slight upgrade on Levine Toilolo in both those regards. If you’re thinking Austin Hooper’s going to take a step forward and Eric Saubert might be able to give you some genuine production as a receiver, Dickson’s blocking acumen and relatively low cost likely gives him a leg up over, say, Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

The only two names we’ve heard linked to Atlanta at this point are ASJ and Dickson thus far, and it will likely come down to how much money the Falcons are willing to spend and whether they’re looking to add a more compelling receiving and end zone option or a quality blocker. My guess is it’ll be Dickson, but we likely won’t know for at least another 30 or so hours.