The tight end positions is one of the few positions of needs for the Falcons on the offensive side of the ball. The Falcons got very little production from the position last year and have been looking for someone to fill the role of the now retired Tony Gonzalez. While the Falcons should spend most of there money on defense, I would not object to the signing of any of these players because of the unique dynamic they could bring to the offense.
1)Julius Thomas
What is not to like about Julius Thomas? As a tight end, he is big, fast, physical, and an absolute matchup nightmare week in and week out. Thomas standing at 6 feet 5 inches and 250 pounds has a ridiculous 24 touchdowns since the start of the 2013 season. In Thomas, the Falcons would get a monster that can line up anywhere on the field and be effective. He would be the perfect person to fill the hole that was left when Tony Gonzalez retired. Thomas would open up even more mismatches for other receivers like Julio Jones and Roddy White. Signing Thomas could be the key to getting the Falcons offense back to where it was 3 years ago. However, the Falcons have tons of needs on the defensive side of the ball and Thomas would come with a hefty price tag. Thomas has also battled some lingering injuries early in his career and that could prove to be worrisome. If the Falcons can find sufficient players on the defensive side and sign Thomas it would be a huge score for the team. Thomas, when healthy, is a top tight end and could help bring the Falcons back to the NFC Championship or even further.
2)Jordan Cameron
Jordan Cameron is another beast at the tight end position. His breakout year came in 2013, when he caught for almost 1,000 yards and reeled in 7 touchdowns. Cameron is very underrated and could be an even better fit than Thomas. Standing at 6 feet 5 inches as well, Cameron has great hands and can catch the ball in traffic. He’s also just an athletic freak that has the speed to pull away from defenders and take the ball to the house. While he may not be as good of a red-zone target as Thomas, he is a much more reliable possession receiver. It is scary to think what Cameron would be able to accomplish in a dynamic offense like the Falcons’ instead of being stuck with the messy QB situation in Cleveland. However, there are some concerns that come with Cameron as well. He missed 6 games last year with a lingering concussion and will also require a good bit of money to sign.
3)Virgil Green
Virgil Green is basically unheard of. Stuck in the log jam of tight ends in Denver, Green rarely saw the field in his 3 years with the Broncos. Athletically, Green is a monster. He is a physical specimen that stands at 6 feet 5 inches and 255 pounds. His vertical is a whopping 42 and a half inches and his broad jump is 10 feet 10 inches. Sometimes athletes just do not turn out to be great NFL players, and while this could be the case with Virgil Green, he also could be a huge steal. He would cost virtually nothing and come with very little risk. Making a small move at tight end like signing Green would also allow the Falcons to focus more of their money on the defensive side of the ball during free agency. Green is a low risk high reward kind of player and could become a unique red-zone target for Matt Ryan if the Falcons sign him.
VIRGILLLLL GREEEEEEN