Despite the Falcons boasting the second most cap space in the NFL, Atlanta remains firm in their approach to free agency. It’s wise to trust your process and not sign any flashy free agent than to go outside of your comfort zone to land a big name. Terry Fontenot has been heralded for his ability to find bargains on the market. He’s already done so several times as Falcons GM. Cordarrelle Patterson is the one that comes to everyone’s mind, but there are others who just haven’t produced in the same spotlight as Patterson.
The NFL free agency period often begins with a flurry of exciting deals to big players that set the market, but it’s the signings that don’t break the bank and have a high impact that make the real difference. Fontenot will be working to find the best bang for his buck — his buck is just a lot bigger this offseason. Here are some Falcons free agent targets that won’t cost an arm and a leg:
Isaiah Wynn
When he’s healthy, the former 2018 first-rounder is a starting-caliber tackle, which is hard to come by in today’s NFL. He is still only 27 years old, so the Falcons could sign him to see if he can bounce back from a bumpy couple of years at the beginning of his career. Kaleb McGary is set to hit the open market and will be garnering a significantly more expensive contract than Wynn. Wynn could serve as a stopgap if the Falcons would rather develop a right tackle instead of buying one.
Ya-Sin was acquired in the Yannick Ngakoue trade, and the Raiders surely missed that pass rush presence. Ya-Sin is a Georgia native and went No. 34 overall to the Colts in the 2019 NFL Draft. His rookie campaign was his best season as he dealt with injuries this past season. He’s an effective corner and produces when healthy, and the Falcons could use more reliable bodies in that room. He’s only 26 years old, so his best ball is likely ahead of him. Rock Ya-Sin is a really good CB3.
Jacoby Brissett
The Falcons are going to add to the quarterback position. Whether they bring in a superstar like Lamar Jackson or a veteran backup to compete with Desmond Ridder like Jacoby Brissett is yet to be seen. Brissett impressed with the Browns this year across 12 starts; so well, in fact, that he probably played himself into a starting job somewhere — think Geno Smith and Seattle.
Still, if he’s interested in potentially competing with Ridder for the starting job in Atlanta, I would be all for it. The only risky part of this signing is Desmond Ridder actually losing out to Brissett. He’s more of a bridge quarterback the Falcons could’ve used last year instead of Marcus Mariota. This year, Atlanta needs more of a backup.
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What Falcons free agent targets did I miss?
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