Following the first wave of free agency, the Falcons have filled the most glaring holes on the roster.
Kirk Cousins was the biggest signing of the offseason thus far, inking a four-year deal worth $180 million to kick off the free agent period. The club quickly followed it up by addressing the second most pressing need, agreeing to a three-year contract with Darnell Mooney.
Over the next few days, the Falcons would re-sign Storm Norton and KhaDarel Hodge as well as signing veteran Ray-Ray McCloud. It’s a great start, but there are still needs on the defensive side of the ball — edge, cornerback, and safety to be specific.
Unfortunately, the Falcons only have around $4 million in cap space; however, that figure could grow by more than $33 million if the Falcons wanted to restructure the contracts of Jake Matthews, Grady Jarrett, Chris Lindstrom, and Jessie Bates III, according to Spotrac.
So, if the Falcons wanted to make another splash, they certainly could, even I don’t expect them to. Here are some potential free agent targets that could interest the Falcons from PFF’s top 50 best available.
2. EDGE Chase Young, San Francisco 49ers
4. S Justin Simmons, Denver Broncos
5. CB Stephon Gilmore, Dallas Cowboys
6. CB Steven Nelson, Houston Texans
8. EDGE Jadeveon Clowney, Baltimore Ravens
16. CB Adoree’ Jackson, New York Giants
17. DI Calais Campbell, Atlanta Falcons
19. EDGE Carl Lawson, New York Jets
21. EDGE Derek Barnett, Houston Texans
33. EDGE Bud Dupree, Atlanta Falcons
37. DI Sebastian Joseph-Day, Los Angeles Chargers
42. EDGE Romeo Okwara, Detroit Lions
47. CB Rock Ya-Sin, Baltimore Ravens
50. EDGE Markus Golden, Pittsburgh Steelers
If Calais Campbell decides to return for another season, the Falcons have to be high up on his board of free agent destinations, but a one-year deal for a guy like Jadeveon Clowney could be more intriguing for Atlanta.
Carl Lawson, Derek Barnett, and Bud Dupree give you a little bit of the same profile at edge if the Falcons wanted to go that way. Stephon Gilmore may be on the older side, but the cornerback position could use some experience with A.J. Terrell being the oldest member of that unit in Atlanta.
The Falcons aren’t done filling out their roster, so expect some cap saving moves followed by more acquisitions.
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