Welcome to Monday (???). We’ve got all the Atlanta Falcons news and notes that you may have missed from over the weekend. Read on for today’s edition of Falcoholinks.
A trade for DE Charles Harris
Charles Harris was a pass rush prospect that we thought might land in Atlanta in the 2017 NFL Draft, but he ultimately went to Miami with the 22nd overall pick. Harris’ professional career has not gone as planned, as he’s only tallied 3.5 sacks in three seasons — so the Falcons were able to snag him in a roundabout way via a trade with the Dolphins. Atlanta surrendered a 7th round pick in the deal.
So with the disappointing track of Charles Harris’ career so far, why did the Falcons decide to bring him to Atlanta? The Falcons still need help on the edge, and put plainly: He was a cheap option.
Our friends over at The Phinsider weighed in on Harris, and the word “disappointing” gets tossed around a lot. That doesn’t instill much confidence, but it’s a low-risk move that the Falcons made to address their defensive line.
NFL reportedly scrubbing 2020 international games
The coronavirus pandemic is forcing the NFL to adjust its operations on the fly, and reportedly the latest change to the 2020 season is the cancellation of international games. The Falcons were slated to play the Broncos in London, and should that game take place, it will be held in Atlanta.
There will certainly be more changes in store for the coming season.
Dante Fowler and Dan Quinn’s future
The Falcons made a big splash in free agency by signing defensive end Dante Fowler to a three-year, $45 million deal. While normally hesitant to dole out big free agent contracts, the Falcons gambled that Fowler could build on his career-best 11.5 sacks in 2019 and improve Atlanta’s defensive line. Should Fowler not live up to expectations with the Falcons, it could hasten Dan Quinn’s Atlanta exit.
Scouting Jaylinn Hawkins
The Falcons selected safety Jaylinn Hawkins at 134th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, so what exactly are they getting? Our Eric Robinson dropped a scouting report on Hawkins, who figures to be an intriguing puzzle piece in Atlanta’s secondary.
Uniform talk
Last week was jersey week at SB Nation, so we encouraged Falcons fans to share their collections. You definitely didn’t disappoint.
The Falcons have sported an eclectic mix of looks over the years, and they’ve recently mixed things up for the 2020 season. Which player do you associate with each era of the Atlanta Falcons unis?