The NFL Combine is coming to a close today, so as you bid farewell to the underwear olympics say hello to Monday’s Falcoholinks.
A Franchise Defender
Grady Jarrett is not going to come cheap — that’s not debatable. As one of the best young defensive tackles in the league, Jarrett is in line for a massive payday as a first-time free agent.
General Manager Thomas Dimitroff has publicly expressed optimism in Atlanta’s pursuit to sign Grady long-term, but reports have emerged that both sides are fairly far apart in negotiations. That means the Falcons may have to apply the franchise tag to their franchise defender, and unless a deal is struck before the end of the day, it seems like a likely outcome.
Grady Jarrett is one of the most important members of the Falcons’ defense, so the team will do what it has to to ensure he’s in Atlanta next season. Should he receive the franchise tag, Jarrett will make nearly $15 million in 2019.
Schaub Signs
We’ve wondered if the Falcons would hand the keys to Kurt Benkert as Matt Ryan’s primary backup, but the team has elected to bring back veteran quarterback Matt Schaub on a two-year deal.
The details of the contract aren’t yet available, but the Atlanta brass clearly appreciates Schaub’s veteran presence on the offense enough to bring him back for another couple of years. Not too Schauby (I’ve been waiting to type that).
Talking Combine
Montez Sweat ran a 4.41 40. That man is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, so this basically defies the laws of physics. And good news for the Falcons: he’ll probably be available when Atlanta selects at pick 14.
The 2019 NFL Combine enters its final day today, and we’ve of course had a bunch of #draft #content for you to pore over. If you missed it during the Combine, get caught up on the defensive tackles, edge defenders, linebackers, and wide receivers.