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Going into the 2021 season, it was clear that the Falcons needed to do something at the running back position. As good as Ito Smith looked at times, it seems pretty clear that he would not be relied upon to be the lead back for Arthur Smith’s offense.
With Todd Gurley heading elsewhere and Brian Hill a free agent, the team was almost certainly going to draft a running back somewhere in this upcoming draft class. Well, the team has decided to give themselves some options by signing Mike Davis, who previously played for the Carolina Panthers.
Source: #Panthers RB Mike Davis to the #Falcons on a 2 year deal worth $5.5M with $3M fully guaranteed in Year 1, source says.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 23, 2021
In 2020, Davis was relied upon heavily after Christian McCaffrey went down for a bulk of the season. Davis had his best season ever. He had 165 carries for 642 yards and 6 rushing touchdowns. He also added 59 receptions for 373 yards and 2 touchdowns. Those aren’t mind blowing numbers, but his productivity was what the team needed from him.
His deal is also probably structured to give the team the option of starting him if needed, but not shedding a tear if a rookie replaces him. The 2 year deal is almost certainly to blunt his cap hit in 2021. All in all, it’s a solid signing but it doesn’t necessarily mean Atlanta won’t be looking to draft a running back as well.
Your thoughts on the team signing Mike Davis?