Atlanta Falcons Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Falcons, Grady Jarrett

July 14th, 2019 at 3:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The key news cycles involving 2019 franchise tags have centered around edge rushers, with DeMarcus Lawrence signing an extension and the Chiefs trading their own tagged edge rusher (Dee Ford) and acquiring the Seahawks’ (Frank Clark). Jadeveon Clowney, whom the Texans discussed with the Chiefs, may now go another year without a long-term deal. 49ers kicker Robbie Gould has also requested a trade.

Not as much as transpired on the Grady Jarrett front, but we are less than 24 hours from this year’s deadline for tagged players to sign extensions. As it stands now, talks between Jarrett and the Falcons have been “cool,” per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But Ledbetter notes the sides have not given up hope, adding this situation could still heat up between now and Monday’s 3pm CT deadline.

Arthur Blank has said he wants Jarrett to be a “Falcon for life,” but the owner has used that phrase regarding contract-year standouts Julio Jones and Deion Jones. The Falcons still have some significant business to conduct and hold just $6.5MM in cap space. Jarrett’s franchise tag takes up $15.2MM of Atlanta’s cap.

The Falcons and Jarrett’s agent, Todd France, continue to discuss a deal, Ledbetter writes. But the team may be cautious about entering the territory of fellow France interior defender clients Aaron Donald ($22.5MM AAV) and Fletcher Cox ($17.1MM AAV). France will likely view those contracts as relevant for his Falcons client, CBS Sports’ Joel Corry writes. Jarrett (14 career sacks, no Pro Bowls) has not proven himself to be on those perennial Pro Bowlers’ level, perhaps leading to the gap in terms and Thomas Dimitroff conceding the sides may have to revisit negotiations after Jarrett plays this season on the tag. After Cox, Geno Atkins and Kawann Short — each making just more than $16MM a year — represent the next-highest-paid group of interior defenders.

It would certainly behoove the Falcons to finalize a deal with Jarrett, in order to reduce his 2019 cap number and thus help the team work out deals with the Joneses. Jarrett signed his franchise tender in April and reported to minicamp.

NFL Supplemental Draft Order

July 10th, 2019 at 12:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL’s Supplemental Draft order does not go by the inverted win/loss records of clubs. Instead, the order is dictated by a weighted lottery that uses a team’s win percentage as just part of the equation. Here, via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) is the complete order of the supplemental draft:

1. Lions
2. Broncos
3. Jets
4. Cardinals
5. Giants
6. Bills
7. Raiders
8. 49ers
9. Jaguars
10. Packers
11. Bengals
12. Bucs
13. Falcons
14. Vikings
15. Redskins
16. Titans
17. Dolphins
18. Steelers
19. Panthers
20. Browns
21. Ravens
22. Patriots
23.Cowboys
24. Seahawks
25. Eagles
26. Texans
27. Bears
28. Colts
29. Saints
30. Chiefs
31. Chargers
32. Rams

The supplemental draft is conducted via email. If multiple teams submit a pick for the same player in the same round, this order dictates which club gets the player. Of course, any team picking a player in the supplemental draft will sacrifice the corresponding pick in the 2020 draft.

Extension Candidate: Falcons LB Deion Jones

July 9th, 2019 at 9:00am CST by Zachary Links

With so much attention being paid to a potential extension for Falcons receiver Julio Jones, it’s easy to forget about the Falcons’ other player by the same surname who is pushing for a new deal. Linebacker Deion Jones has been discussing an extension as he enters his walk year, but we haven’t heard much news regarding his situation in recent weeks.

As a former second-round pick, Jones is slated to earn less than $1.1MM in 2019, with no club option for a fifth season. In theory, the lack of an option is a good thing for players like Jones who have outperformed their draft slot, but the Falcons still have leverage thanks to his laughably low salary for the coming year. Jones isn’t necessarily the priority either – the Falcons are likely putting a greater focus on Grady Jarrett‘s contract and the aforementioned contract of J. Jones.

Jones, who won’t celebrate his 25th birthday until November, has proven to have a nose for the ball. In three seasons, he has eight interceptions to his credit, including three pick-six plays for touchdowns. He was also a tackling machine in his first two seasons, though a broken foot suffered in Week 1 of the 2018 season kept him to a total of six games last year.

The injury undoubtedly hurt his negotiating position, though a broken foot is not as devastating as a ligament tear to the knee. Jones still has serious potential at the linebacker position with plenty of room to grow before entering his prime years.

The Falcons would obviously love to keep Jones in the fold for years to come, but the skyrocketing rate for inside linebackers may prove to be a barrier. In March, C.J. Mosley passed Luke Kuechly on a rocket ship with a five-year, $85MM deal that includes $43MM fully guaranteed. Granted, this was a free agent deal, and Mosley is more accomplished than Jones, but Jones’ camp undoubtedly has those specs in mind. Meanwhile, Seahawks star Bobby Wagner is also in the hunt for a new deal, and the market could balloon even further if he puts pen to paper before Jones.

Ultimately, we expect the Falcons to get something done with their young linebacker, but he might have to wait until the other stars are addressed.

Julio Jones Will Attend Training Camp

July 8th, 2019 at 2:32pm CST by Ben Levine

Falcons wideout Julio Jones reported to his team’s minicamp last month, a clear indication that he won’t hold out as he pursues a new contract. The Pro Bowl receiver reiterated this sentiment to TMZ.com, saying he trusts owner Arthur Blank and won’t miss training camp.

“Mr. Blank gave us his word. . . . That’s golden,” Jones said (via Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com). “[Blank’s] word is that it’s going to get done. . . . There’s no stress on my end. I’m not thinking about it.

“[Blank] makes it easy for me to go out and just work every day and not have one of those situations where there’s a holdout or anything like that.”

Blank had previously said he expects Jones (along with teammates Grady Jarrett and Deion Jones) to be “Falcons for life.” There had been reports of progress on the Jones front throughout the offseason, but with two years remaining on the receiver’s contract, the organization may be patient as they work to extend their offensive star. The lack of an new contract hasn’t prevented Jones from participating in team workouts; while he skipped OTAs for a second-straight year, the 30-year-old attended minicamp last month.

Jones has been pushing for a new contract since the 2018 offseason — before Odell Beckham Jr. signed his five-year, $90MM deal. Beckham’s $18MM-per-year pact and Antonio Brown‘s redone deal — which reset his APY figure to $19.8MM — lead the receiver market. Jones will presumably be looking to approach those marks, with our own Zach Links recently suggesting a three-year extension that adds $60MM in new money to his pact.

Going into his ninth season, Jones is coming off his sixth Pro Bowl slate and second-highest single-season yardage total. He posted a 1,677-yard season in 2018, leading the league in receiving but falling short of a third first-team All-Pro honor.

Barner, Green To Compete For Returns

July 7th, 2019 at 8:58pm CST by Micah Powell

The Falcons haven’t had a punt return touchdown since 2014 and a kickoff return for a score since 2010. Looking to end those streaks are Kenjon Barner and Marcus Green, who are the frontrunners to return kicks for the Falcons in 2019, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. Barner was an accomplished returner in college at Oregon and has served in the role in the NFL. Green is a sixth-round selection in 2019 from Louisiana-Monroe who has turned heads with his speed.

Marcus Simms Works Out For Teams

July 1st, 2019 at 2:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Former West Virginia wide receiver Marcus Simms worked out for half of the NFL’s teams on Monday, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. The Jaguars, Saints, Seahawks, Colts, Jets, Redskins, Chiefs, Browns, Eagles, Lions, Packers, 49ers, Vikings, Ravens, Raiders, and Falcons.

The 49ers and Vikings both sent directors of scouting while the Ravens had their personnel director on hand. The Raiders, meanwhile, had general manager Mike Mayock on hand, which may be an indicator of strong interest.

Simms’ 40-yard-dash times of 4.49, 4.45 and 4.40 seconds were strong, while his 36 inch vertical showed decent hops for the position. While he’s not considered to be as strong of a pro prospect as Washington State safety Jalen Thompson, Simms has a chance at being selected when the NFL Supplemental Draft takes place later this month.

Falcons Waive Jeremy Langford From IR

June 26th, 2019 at 4:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons waived Jeremy Langford from injured reserve, according to a team announcement. The running back has been on the team’s IR since clearing waivers in May.

Langford initially looked promising after entering the league as a fourth round pick of the Bears back in 2015. He opened the 2016 season as Chicago’s starting running back, but he’s struggled with injuries and turned into a journeyman ever since. Drafted only a few years ago, the Falcons were already the fifth stop of his career.

Langford only appeared in one game for the Falcons last year, rushing nine times for 25 yards. He also has spent time with the Ravens, Jets and Dolphins.

Now, Langford is free to sign with any NFL team.

Latest On Falcons, Julio Jones

June 18th, 2019 at 3:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

With another NFC South wide receiver accelerating the market, the division’s long-reigning pass-catching kingpin remains in talks with the Falcons about what would be his second contract extension.

Michael Thomas may not end up signing until Julio Jones resets the market, and the Falcons are confident they will have a new deal with Jones by the time they reconvene for training camp, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets.

After skipping Falcons OTAs for a second straight year, the 30-year-old wideout reported to Falcons minicamp. Reports of progress on this front have emerged for weeks now, pointing to Jones becoming the NFL’s new highest-paid receiver. Two years remain on his 2015 extension, but Jones has lobbied for a new contract since the 2018 offseason — before Odell Beckham Jr. signed his five-year, $90MM deal. Beckham’s $18MM-per-year pact and Antonio Brown‘s redone deal — which reset his APY figure to $19.8MM — lead the receiver market.

Going into his ninth season, Jones is coming off his sixth Pro Bowl slate and second-highest single-season yardage total. He posted a 1,677-yard season in 2018, leading the league in receiving but falling short of a third first-team All-Pro honor. The Falcons, though, clearly view him as a cornerstone part of their hopeful resurgence and look set to reward Jones for his years of top-flight WR1 play.

The Falcons hold barely $6MM in cap space but could add to that figure by completing a Grady Jarrett deal. The standout defensive tackle is attached to a $15.2MM cap number. Arthur Blank said last month he envisioned Julio Jones, Jarrett and contract-year linebacker Deion Jones as “Falcons for life.”

Extension Candidate: Julio Jones

June 17th, 2019 at 3:06pm CST by Zachary Links

After skipping voluntary OTAs, Falcons star Julio Jones reported for the team’s mandatory minicamp earlier this month. There’s clear mutual interest in a new deal, but Jones’ situation is trickier than most.

Jones is one of the league’s most accomplished wide receivers, but figuring out a multi-year extension for a 30-year-old skill player is never easy. He’s topped 1,400 receiving yards in each of the last five seasons, but it’s hard to bank on his speed holding up across multiple seasons.

Still, Jones led the league with 1,677 receiving yards in 2018 and continues to draw double coverage from overwhelmed defenses on a regular basis. And, while his contract has two more years to go, the Falcons cannot risk a rift – or a holdout – with their most potent offensive weapon.

A fresh deal for Jones would likely take him through the end of his career, but what would such an add-on look like? Currently, Jones’ salary has him ranked just 12th among wide receivers with an average annual value of $14.25MM. Making Jones No. 1 in AAV would mean vaulting him ahead of Antonio Brown‘s $19.8MM/year and Odell Beckham Jr.’s $18MM/year, which should be doable for the Falcons. However, Jones is unlikely to match the length of OBJ’s contract or, more importantly, the guarantees.

Beckham’s five-year, $90MM extension granted him $65MM in total guarantees and a whopping $41MM guaranteed at signing. Jones, who is already under contract through his age 32 season, is probably looking at no more than an additional three years. From there, you can expect a hefty signing bonus, and a decent sum scheduled for Year One of the new deal, but it’s unrealistic to expect the Falcons to ensure $41MM to the aging superstar.

So, how can the two sides reach an accord that is satisfactory for everyone? Recently, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com suggested the following:

Length: Three years
New money total: $60MM (Bringing total remaining value to $81MM over five years)
Signing bonus: $25MM
Guaranteed money: $50.526MM
Fully guaranteed at signing: $37.526MM

Ultimately, that amounts to a $20MM average annual value, allowing Jones to edge Brown and OBJ in that category. Meanwhile, the Falcons preserve some flexibility, as Jones’ total guarantees would be $14.475MM shy of OBJ’s.

A new deal for Jones and the Falcons seems like an inevitability, but it will be interesting to see when they get it done, how they get it done, and what the cashflow of the extension looks like.

This Date In Transactions History: Michael Vick

June 12th, 2019 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2009, the Falcons moved on from the biggest star in the history of their franchise. After unsuccessful attempts to trade Michael Vick, the Falcons cut finally ties with the quarterback.

With the ability to run as well as he could throw, Vick was one of the brightest young stars in the NFL. In six seasons, he earned three Pro Bowl nominations and led the Falcons to the NFC championship game twice. The first go-round in 2002 snapped a four-year playoff drought in Atlanta.

The trajectory of Vick’s career and the entire Falcons franchise changed in 2007 when Vick was indicted for his role in the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting ring. The Falcons pretty much made up their minds on Vick after the quarterback was sentenced to nearly two years in prison, but there were paperwork and cap issues to sort out. The Falcons successfully recovered ~$20MM of Vick’s $37MM signing bonus in ’07, but it wasn’t until the summer of ’09 that they formally terminated his nine-year deal which had the potential to be worth as much as $130MM.

The Falcons were able to move on from the Vick era after selecting Matt Ryan with the third overall pick in the 2008 draft. Vick, meanwhile, managed a second act in the NFL after landing with the Eagles. He was signed to be Donovan McNabb‘s backup in 2009, but he wound up as the team’s starting QB in 2010 after McNabb was traded and Kevin Kolb suffered a concussion. Vick went on to take the Eagles to the playoffs and eventually sign a six-year, $100MM extension with Philly.

Vick’s subsequent stints with the Jets and Steelers were less remarkable and he was unable to find an NFL home in 2016. In the summer of 2017 – on the eight-year anniversary of his release from Atlanta – Vick retired after signing a ceremonial contract with the Falcons.

Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors