Falcoholinks: All the Falcons news you need for Friday, Feb. 12

We’ve got notes and narratives on free agents and the busy offseason ahead in today’s Falcoholinks.

Excitement & uncertainty await

The Falcons are now entering an offseason unlike one they’ve seen since 2008 and the arrival of Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith. With new GM Terry Fontenot and new head coach Arthur Smith now in the fold, Atlanta is looking at an offseason sure to be filled with excitement and uncertainty as the Falcons build for 2021 and beyond.

What they decide to do in the 2021 NFL Draft will loom large, especially with the Falcons in position to draft their quarterback of the future. Recent history, however, has shown that first-round quarterbacks aren’t always the solution their draft status suggests.

With the Buccaneers taking home the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, their franchise may prove an intriguing template for the Falcons as they look to turn things around and compete for the NFC South.

The Brady Argument

Tom Brady’s success in Tampa Bay shows what a young team can do with an experienced starting quarterback, and our Matt Chambers makes the point that Brady’s path with the Buccaneers should reinforce Atlanta’s plan to build around Matt Ryan.

Free agent targets

The Falcons brought in former Baltimore Ravens scout Dwaune Jones as their new assistant director of college scouting, so it stands to reason that his familiarity with impending Ravens free agents could make them targets for Atlanta.

With Matt Schaub retiring, it’s plausible that the team may also look to the free agent market for their backup quarterback spot if they’re not entirely sold on Kurt Benkert in the role.

The Falcoholic’s Kevin Knight also took a look at some free agent tight ends that Atlanta may be interested in in his latest video feature.

Regardless of what spots the team dials in on in free agency, we can reasonably expect them to pour a significant amount of resources into addressing areas of need.

MOOOOOCKS

Mock Draft Season is officially upon us, so treat yourself to the latest from NFL.com that brings the Falcons a pretty solid haul in the first couple of rounds.

The Falcoholic Live Episode 133

Did you miss the crew from The Falcoholic Live discussing the pending free agency period? No worries — you can watch the full episode right here.