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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons HC, GM Aligned On No. 4 Pick?

April 9th, 2021 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s no longer a house divided. Falcons GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith are now “aligned” on what to do with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

Earlier this week, we heard that Fontenot was pushing for a quarterback. Meanwhile, Smith wanted to stay the course with Matt Ryan. Ryan is on the verge of his 36th birthday, but he’s been durable and fairly steady.

Of course, we don’t know where the Falcons ultimately landed, and we probably won’t know for sure until the draft kicks off on April 29th in Cleveland. The Falcons are in an enviable position — the Jaguars, Jets, and 49ers are all expected to tap quarterbacks with the first three picks, which would allow them to take the best non-quarterback in this year’s class. They could also trade down and parlay that pick into a wealth of ammo for 2022 and beyond.

If they resist the urge to take a QB, the Falcons could select Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell, LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, or Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Or, if they stand pat to grab Matt Ryan’s successor, they could come away with Trey Lance — the North Dakota State product who could have more upside than Zach Wilson and Mac Jones (basically, a higher ceiling than any passer not named Trevor Lawrence).

This Date In Transactions History: Falcons Acquire Eric Metcalf

April 6th, 2021 at 11:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons assembled their premier receiving corps when Julio Jones joined Roddy White in 2011, and their Jones-Calvin Ridley duo currently resides as one of the NFL’s best. However, the franchise did piece together an intriguing cadre of aerial weapons during the mid-1990s. That crew achieved a rare NFL feat.

Atlanta rounded out that receiving corps on April 6, 1995. Twenty-six years ago, the Falcons finalized a trade that brought Eric Metcalf over from the Browns. The then-Bill Belichick-coached team agreed to a high-profile pick-swap deal, a well Belichick has gone to frequently with the Patriots, to send the all-purpose threat to Atlanta. The Falcons sent the No. 10 overall pick to the Browns for Metcalf and No. 26. This trade ended up impacting the NFL into the 2010s; the ultimate winner of this deal did not yet exist when the transaction was finalized.

While Metcalf was technically a running back in Cleveland, the Browns used him in several capacities. The 1989 first-round pick made an impact out of the backfield, as an outlet option and, perhaps most significantly, as a lethal return specialist in six Browns seasons. But Cleveland opted to part with its athletic chess piece to move up 16 draft slots.

Atlanta moved Metcalf to wide receiver, teaming him with 1994 free agent acquisition Terance Mathis and homegrown talent Bert Emanuel. Although the Falcons’ Jeff George trade did not end up working out, the strong-armed quarterback helped the Metcalf-Mathis-Emanuel group become the NFL’s second wide receiver trio that saw each of its members surpass 1,000 yards in a season. While the Air Coryell Chargers were the first to have three 1,000-yard pass catchers, Kellen Winslow was a tight end. Only four wideout trios have gone 1,000-1,000-1,000 — 1989 Washington, the ’95 Falcons, the 2004 Colts and ’08 Cardinals.

Metcalf enjoyed by far his most productive receiving season in 1995, catching 104 passes for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns. Despite having never played the position full-time as a pro, Metcalf led his new team in receiving. That Falcon edition made the playoffs at 9-7, losing to the Packers in the first round. June Jones‘ pass-heavy offense was not as productive in 1996, when the Falcons released George in-season and went 3-13, and Metcalf joined the Chargers in free agency the following year. Metcalf earned first-team All-Pro honors as a returner in his lone San Diego season and played until 2002.

As for the draft choices exchanged, the Browns — in their final draft before morphing into the Ravens — traded out of No. 10, moving down to No. 30. The 49ers climbed up to draft wide receiver J.J. Stokes. With the Browns relocating to Baltimore in 1996, they did not reap this trade’s primary benefit. In their first draft, the Ravens used the additional Browns-obtained first-rounder (No. 26 in 1996) to draft Ray Lewis. With its No. 30 overall pick in ’95, Cleveland selected linebacker Craig Powell. The Falcons chose safety Devin Bush 26th in 1995. Bush played four Falcons seasons, with his final Atlanta game being Super Bowl XXXIII; his son became a Steelers first-round pick in 2019.

Falcons GM, HC Split On Drafting QB?

April 6th, 2021 at 3:48pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Earlier this morning, we heard that the Falcons were open to moving down from the fourth overall pick. Now, we have some more details on what’s happening inside the building.

Atlanta’s new GM Terry Fontenot apparently favors drafting a quarterback, while new head coach Arthur Smith does not, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported recently, via Evan Birchfield of The Falcoholic. “What I’m hearing is that [Terry] Fontenot is more focused on quarterback, and Arthur Smith believes that Matt Ryan does have two or more years left,” Mortensen said.

While that big split between a GM and head coach in their first year together might not be ideal, it doesn’t sound like the situation has turned toxic or anything. The fact that Atlanta is open to moving the pick would seem to indicate that Smith’s view might be winning out.

“He has no real medical history, he hasn’t missed many games in his career and there hasn’t been a big drop off in his play,” Mortensen said of Smith’s view of Ryan. Interestingly, Mortensen also had some info on who the Falcons might pick if Fontenot gets his way.

“One thing I do hear though is that if they do go quarterback at No. 4, then Trey Lance is probably the guy,” he said. It sounds like there’s a real possibility that Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, and Lance go 1-4. Ryan, 36 next month, is signed through the 2023 season.

 Running it back for at least one more cycle with Ryan and Julio Jones, now 32, still seems like the most likely scenario. This will be one of the most interesting dynamics to watch in the lead up to the draft.

Falcons Open To Moving No. 4 Pick

April 6th, 2021 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have received calls from multiple teams and are open to trading out of the No. 4 spot, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). With the Jaguars, Jets, and 49ers effectively locked into the first three picks, the Falcons hold the highest available pick for teams looking to move up.

[RELATED: Falcons Interested In Pitts At No. 4?]

The Broncos, at No. 9 overall, would be a prime candidate to advance up the board. There will be three quarterbacks selected to start the draft, so Denver can’t really afford to be patient on passers. Trevor Lawrence, of course, is ticketed for the top pick. After that, BYU’s Zach Wilson is likely to go No. 2 overall. Depending on which way the 49ers go, that could still leave Ohio State’s Justin Fields or North Dakota’s Trey Lance there for the taking. The Patriots (No. 15) and the Bears (No. 20) could also be interested in making a jump.

Still, the Falcons seem to be interested in University of Florida tight end Kyle Pitts and the No. 4 choice would guarantee his availability. Ditto for LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Oregon tackle Penei Sewell, or any non-QB that catches their eye.

Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald hears that at least one team calling the Falcons about their top draft choice does not need a QB. Such a club is presumably eyeing Pitts, Chase, or Sewell, and while all are potentially elite talents, it will take a tremendous offer to convince the Falcons to part with their pick.

Falcons Interested In TE Kyle Pitts At No. 4?

March 31st, 2021 at 4:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons have spoken with Kyle Pitts on multiple occasions this offseason, conducting two Zoom meetings with this draft’s top tight end prospect, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. Another Falcons Zoom meeting is scheduled as well, Pitts said.

Holding the No. 4 overall pick, the Falcons had key staffers on hand at Pitts’ pro day Wednesday. New HC Arthur Smith attended the ex-Florida Gator weapon’s showcase, and Pitts spoke with Falcons brass at the event.

“They were saying that they have interest in me,” Pitts said, via Ledbetter. “After today, we’ll get on another Zoom and they’ll try to learn more about myself. I feel like they are pretty interested.”

The 6-foot-6, 245-pound pass catcher blazed to an unofficial 4.44-second 40-yard dash time Wednesday. While this draft has standout wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes multiple evaluators informed him Wednesday the Florida prospect is the best player available this year (Twitter link). Pitts also boasts the longest wingspan measurement of any wideout or tight end in 20 years. ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Pitts as his No. 2 prospect, behind Trevor Lawrence.

No tight end has been drafted in the top five this century. Only two — Mike Ditka and Riley Odoms, the latter being picked fifth in 1971 — ever have (though, Kellen Winslow Jr. and Vernon Davis came off the 2004 and 2006 boards at No. 6 overall). Pitts broke through in 2020, catching 12 touchdown passes in the COVID-19-shortened college football season and averaging 17.9 yards per catch.

The Falcons have been linked to a possible Matt Ryan heir apparent at No. 4, but with the 49ers trading up for a quarterback, Atlanta is in position to choose this draft’s best non-QB prospect. Prior to Smith’s 2019 promotion to Titans OC, he was a tight ends coach for four seasons. The Falcons have Hayden Hurst signed through 2021, but Pitts would offer a different level of athleticism that might be too enticing to bypass.

Contract Details: Rhodes, Johnson, Abdullah, Roberts, Moreau

March 28th, 2021 at 6:33pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Let’s catch up on the latest batch of financial terms from recent free agent deals:

  • Colts CB Xavier Rhodes: One-year, $4.77MM. $3.75MM fully guaranteed salary, $1.02MM in per game active roster bonuses. $1.75MM in additional playing time, interception, and Pro Bowl incentives, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). This was originally reported as a one-year, $6.5MM pact, but it looks like that’ll only be the case if he hits those incentives.
  • Titans CB Kevin Johnson: One-year, $2.25MM. $2MM guaranteed, with a $1MM salary and $1MM signing bonus. $250K in per game active roster bonuses, via Wilson on Twitter. We didn’t have any word on compensation initially, and it turns out Tennessee got the former first-rounder for a pretty reasonable price.
  • Vikings RB Ameer Abdullah: One-year, $990K. Non-guaranteed. Via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Twitter. Terms of the deal weren’t previously reported, but the Vikings got the former second-rounder back for a non-guaranteed vet minimum contract.
  • Dolphins LB Elandon Roberts: One-year, $1.995MM. $1.345MM salary, $650K signing bonus, plus $750K in incentives available, via Field Yates of ESPN on Twitter. We also didn’t have any terms for Roberts, and he ended up getting some decent money to return to Miami.
  • Falcons CB Fabian Moreau: One-year, $1.127MM. $987.5K guaranteed. $137.5K signing bonus, $990K salary ($850K guaranteed), via Wilson on Twitter. Finishing things up with one more cornerback we were missing terms on. Moreau, a part-time starter for Washington the past few years, got just above the minimum, although it’s almost entirely guaranteed at least.

Falcons, Deion Jones Restructure Deal

March 28th, 2021 at 3:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons and linebacker Deion Jones have agreed to a reworked contract, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The adjustment will give the Falcons an extra $4MM in cap space for the coming year. Meanwhile, Jones now has his 2022 base salary fully guaranteed.

The Falcons have been fairly quiet in free agency, save for their recent two-year deal with running back Mike Davis. The additional $4MM alone might not lead to a major signing, but it could allow them to build out their bench and get their rookies under contract. The Falcons’ board starts with the No. 4 overall pick – that choice alone carries a $6MM cap hit for Year One.

Jones, 27 in November, is in the midst of the four-year, $57MM extension he signed in the summer of 2019. After missing much of 2018 due to injury, Jones has bounced back with perfect attendance in each of the last two seasons. Last year, the Falcons asked Jones to bring more pressure against the pass and he delivered a career-high 4.5 sacks, plus two interceptions. He took one of those INTs to the house, giving him five career defensive touchdowns.

Jones will be supported, in part, by Barkevious Mingo. The former No. 6 overall pick agreed to join the Falcons last week on a low-cost, one-year deal.

49ers, Jets Did Not Discuss No. 2 Pick

March 26th, 2021 at 4:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers’ decision to trade multiple future first-round picks to move up to No. 3 overall concluded a weekslong process, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that San Francisco held trade talks with both Atlanta and Cincinnati for their respective top-five selections (Nos. 4 and 5 overall, respectively).

However, the Jets and 49ers did not discuss the No. 2 overall pick, according to Schefter. Despite the high cost, the 49ers opted to move as high as they could in this draft. Having turned to ex-49ers coaches to help ignite a rebuild, the Jets have been connected to BYU quarterback Zach Wilson with that choice. The Jets attended Wilson’s pro day Friday, and Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes John Lynch was present at the Provo, Utah, showcase as well. (Interestingly, Jaguars HC Urban Meyer did not, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.)

While GM Joe Douglas may still trade the pick and go with Sam Darnold, the reality Corey Davis said he signed up for, quarterbacks are a near-certainty to go first and second overall. With the 49ers making this move, QBs should be expected to go first, second and third for the first time since 1999 (Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, Akili Smith).

The Jets chose Darnold third overall in 2018 but saw the once-coveted quarterback regress last season, and the team has not seen the USC product justify the previous regime’s investment. Douglas not being with the Jets when they chose Darnold figures to be important here. The 49ers trading up points to the team believing the Jets will draft Wilson second, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes, leaving Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones — among QBs — on the board after the Jaguars and Jets make their respective picks.

Douglas keeping Darnold and trading out of that draft slot would open the door to another team trading up to No. 2 and potentially leaving Wilson on the board, should the trading-up franchise prefer one of the other QBs. However, Wilson-to-New York has become the most likely scenario after the Jags begin the draft with Trevor Lawrence.

Regardless of where Wilson goes in the draft, the Dolphins trading out of the No. 3 slot almost certainly means the rest of the non-Jags/Jets/49ers contingent will be down to two of these passers. The Falcons have been connected to quarterbacks as well. No draft has started with four straight QBs going off the board.

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