Falcons Eyeing LG Help
Falcons owner Arthur Blank recently brought up his team’s need for help at left guard, as Albert Breer of SI.com points out. Breer believes the mere fact that the owner is getting into the specifics of O-line upgrades in the offseason is indicative of how critical that unit will be for Atlanta next season.
Of course, the Falcons invested two first-round picks in the offensive line in 2019, when they drafted Chris Lindstrom with the No. 14 overall pick and Kaleb McGary with the No. 31 overall selection. Lindstrom, a right guard, injured his foot in the season opener and ultimately played in only five games, and though McGary started all 16 contests, he struggled, yielding a league-high 13 sacks from his right tackle position.
Still, those two will enter the 2020 campaign as the starters on the right side of the line and will hope to live up to their draft status. The fact that Blank brought up left guard is somewhat interesting, as the Falcons signed LG James Carpenter to a four-year pact last offseason and he started the team’s first 11 games before succumbing to a season-ending concussion. The Falcons would save a minimal amount of money by cutting Carpenter, though they could certainly keep him around as an experienced backup and seek an upgrade.
But such an upgrade may need to come via the draft again, as Atlanta is right up against the salary cap. If GM Thomas Dimitroff does find the room to acquire a free agent, players like Brandon Scherff or Andrus Peat could be in play.
2020 Draft Order
Super Bowl LIV is in the books, which means the order for the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft is set. By virtue of their 31-20 win Sunday night, the Chiefs will have the final pick in the first round. The 49ers dropping to 5-2 in Super Bowls will result in the NFC champions approaching the podium at No. 31.
Here is the full first-round order:
1. Bengals (2-14)
2. Redskins (3-13)
3. Lions (3-12-1)
4. Giants (4-12)
5 Dolphins (5-11)
6. Chargers (5-11)
7. Panthers (5-11)
8. Cardinals (5-10-1)
9. Jaguars (6-10)
10. Browns (6-10)
11. Jets (7-9)
12. Raiders (7-9)
13. Colts (7-9)
14. Buccaneers (7-9)
15. Broncos (7-9)
16. Falcons (7-9)
17. Cowboys (8-8)
18. Dolphins (via Steelers 8-8)
19. Raiders (via Bears 8-8)
20. Jaguars (via Rams 9-7)
21. Eagles (9-7)
22. Bills (10-6)
23. Patriots (12-4)
24. Saints (13-3)
25. Vikings (10-6)
26. Dolphins (via Texans 10-6)
27. Seahawks (11-5)
28. Ravens (14-2)
29. Titans (9-7)
30. Packers (13-3)
31. 49ers (13-3)
32. Chiefs (12-4)
Falcons To Move On From Vic Beasley
This is the end of the line for the Falcons and Vic Beasley. On Monday, the club announced that they will not pursue a new deal with the defensive end, who is scheduled for free agency in March. 
“As we continue to craft our 2020 roster, we’d like to thank Vic for five years of effort on behalf of our organization,” Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff said in the statement.
Beasley, 27, just wrapped up the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. The Falcons were hoping to see more from him in 2019, but he was unable to get back to his old form.
Beasley broke out in his sophomore year as pro, recording a league-high 15.5 sacks in 2016. However, things have cooled off ever since – he notched five sacks in 2017 and 2018. This past season, Beasley finished out with eight sacks, though that number was bolstered by a disproportionally strong finish in the final quarter of the regular season.
The Falcons will need to replace Beasley this offseason while potentially retooling the rest of their front seven. Fellow defensive end Adrian Clayborn is scheduled for free agency and defensive tackle Jack Crawford is also on an expiring deal.
They’ll have other issues to tackle as well. Among their top priority items – negotiating a new deal with tight end Austin Hooper, who is coming off of his best statistical season as a pro.
South Notes: Tannehill, Texans, Falcons
The refrain during the final several weeks of the Titans‘ season pointed to either a Ryan Tannehill extension or franchise tag. But the resurgent team may not be entirely committed to the ex-Dolphin yet. The Titans have not decided Tannehill is worth a $27MM franchise tag or a franchise QB-level salary, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com note. Tannehill is open to a long-term Titans deal, and the sides began discussing an extension late in the season. After the quarterback’s surprising stretch to help the team to the AFC title game, it would be surprising if he were allowed to hit the market. But the Titans do have Derrick Henry as a franchise tag candidate and four-year right tackle starter Jack Conklin set for free agency as well. The Titans have some major decisions to make in the next few weeks. Teams can use their franchise and transition tags this year, if there is no new CBA in place by the time the tag window opens February 25. Teams have from Feb. 25-March 10 to apply tags.
Here is the latest from the South divisions:
- Among their free agents, Austin Hooper appears to be the Falcons‘ top priority. De’Vondre Campbell is on the team’s re-up radar as well. Vic Beasley‘s future in Atlanta is less certain. The former first-round pick earned All-Pro acclaim in 2016 but fell off the radar for years after that dominant season. “Well, Vic played at a different level in the back half of the year than the first half of the year,” Arthur Blank said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “What changed for him, I’m not exactly sure. And whether or not we can have that kind of consistency with him when it matters, only time will tell.” A trade candidate at the deadline, Beasley finished with four sacks in his final four games to record eight this season.
- Falcons safety Ricardo Allen underwent shoulder surgery recently, Jason Butt of The Athletic tweets. The veteran defender played through a shoulder malady late in the season. He will require a multiple-month rehab process, which could delay his participation in the Falcons’ offseason program.
- The Texans added multiple staffers to lower-level positions, bringing in Deon Broomfield as a defensive assistant and DeNarius McGhee as a quality control coach, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Broomfield coached cornerbacks at Indiana State for the past three years, while McGee coached quarterbacks and running backs at Montana State in that span.
Latest On Falcons TE Austin Hooper
Following the best statistical season of his career, Falcons tight end Austin Hooper is set to hit free agency. However, the Pro Bowler told 92.9 The Game in Atlanta that the front office hasn’t approached him about a new contract (Twitter link).
“I mean my whole attitude is that it will happen the way its supposed to,” Hooper said. “I did my part, ended up here at the Pro Bowl, so if the organization wants me, they’ll offer me [a contract].
“I still haven’t received an offer from them. If and when they’re ready…I’ll let my representation and the representation of the Falcons handle it. But as of now, I’m just enjoying what could be my last game as a Falcon down here at the Pro Bowl.”
General manager Thomas Dimitroff recently echoed those sentiments.
“The reality of right now is we are trudging along,” Dimitroff said (via the team’s website). “After the Super Bowl week, we’ll continue to see how we’re moving forward. At this point, there’s no updates on Austin.”
We heard earlier this week that the organization wouldn’t be slapping Hooper with the franchise tag, which is projected to be north of $10MM. After handing out a number of lucrative extensions last offseason, the Falcons are projected to have only $6.7MM in cap space this year. If they want to retain Hooper, they’ll have to keep creative with their cap machinations.
Despite appearing in a career-low 13 games, Hooper finished with career-highs in receptions (75), receiving yards (787), and touchdowns (six).
Falcons Unlikely To Tag Austin Hooper
The Falcons used their 2019 offseason to sign three of their top players to lucrative extensions. Partially because of this, their 2020 offseason may be a bit quieter. While the team has identified multiple players it would like to retain, GM Thomas Dimitroff does not have much cap space with which to work.
Austin Hooper loomed as a trade candidate before this season’s deadline, but the Falcons held onto him and identified their top tight end as a player they could potentially extend. Dimitroff acknowledged Tuesday that the sides have not engaged in contract talks and that the franchise tag does not appear realistic, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The tight end franchise tag is expected to come in at approximately $10.7MM. While Dimitroff indicated that is technically an option, the Falcons’ projected $6.7MM in cap space (fifth-least in the NFL) will make such a move difficult.
Hooper broke out in his contract year, establishing new career-high marks in catches (75), yards (787) and touchdowns (six). He did so in 13 games, missing three because of a hamstring injury. The Falcons have begun talks with linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, but with the team having already extended Deion Jones, it would seem Campbell could well join Hooper in free agency. The Falcons used their 2019 tag on Grady Jarrett before extending him in July; they then gave Julio Jones a monster extension.
Should he reach the market, he would join Eric Ebron and Hunter Henry as a top tight end available. The Colts have indicated they will not move to re-sign Ebron, while nothing has come out on Chargers talks with Henry.
Giants Eyeing Jerome Henderson?
- As the Giants continue to reshape their coaching staff, SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan tweets that Falcons defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson could be an option for a similar role in New York. The 50-year-old has also spent time on the Jets, Browns, and Cowboys coaching staffs.
Falcons, De’Vondre Campbell Talking Extension
De’Vondre Campbell is scheduled for free agency, but he might not make it to the open market. The Falcons have begun contract talks with the linebacker, as ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure tweets. 
[RELATED: Falcons Coach Mike Mularkey Retires]
“There will be a lot of interest in Dre,” agent Drew Rosenhaus said. “We have had positive dialogue with the Falcons. Dre will be a highly sought-after player.”
Campbell has expressed interest in staying with the Falcons, but it’s possible that he might not fit into their budget. Ideally, the Falcons would love to keep him – Campbell led the team with 129 tackles last year (he also led the way in 2018) and won’t turn 27 until July. Over the last three years, he has not missed a single game.
In the past, the Falcons have spent the money necessary to lock up key players, including linebacker Deion Jones. But, the former fourth-round pick is due for a monumental pay bump.
Campbell drew trade interest before the deadline in October, but the Falcons opted to hold on to him. That speaks volumes for their own evaluation of him, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll get a deal done before March.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/13/20
The only minor transactions today (not including reserve/futures deals) belong to the Falcons:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived off reserve/injured list: TE Alex Gray, DT Ra’Shede Hageman
Hageman, whom the Falcons selected in the second round of the 2014 draft, hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2016. He signed a one-year pact with Atlanta in April, but he was slapped with a two-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and he was waived/injured off of the reserve/suspended list in September.
From 2014-16, Hageman accumulated four sacks and 62 total tackles.
Updated 2020 NFL Draft Order
The stage has been set for the conference championships. The Titans, Chiefs, 49ers, and Packers are moving on to the semifinals, while the Texans, Seahawks, Ravens, and Vikings will begin planning for the offseason ahead. Unfortunately for the Texans, their first round pick belongs to the Dolphins.
Here’s an updated look at the 2020 NFL Draft order from Nos. 1-28:
1. Bengals (2-14)
2. Redskins (3-13)
3. Lions (3-12-1)
4. Giants (4-12)
5 Dolphins (5-11)
6. Chargers (5-11)
7. Panthers (5-11)
8. Cardinals (5-10-1)
9. Jaguars (6-10)
10. Browns (6-10)
11. Jets (7-9)
12. Raiders (7-9)
13. Colts (7-9)
14. Buccaneers (7-9)
15. Broncos (7-9)
16. Falcons (7-9)
17. Cowboys (8-8)
18. Dolphins (via Steelers 8-8)
19. Raiders (via Bears 8-8)
20. Jaguars (via Rams 9-7)
21. Eagles (9-7)
22. Bills (10-6)
23. Patriots (12-4)
24. Saints (13-3)
25. Vikings (10-6)
26. Dolphins (via Texans 10-6)
27. Seahawks (11-5)
28. Ravens (14-2)