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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons To Sign G Brandon Fusco

March 14th, 2018 at 4:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons are signing former 49ers guard Brandon Fusco to a three-year contract, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The pact is worth $12.75MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Fusco started all 16-games for the 49ers last season and performed well in the second half of the season. He’s now the second Niners free agent to depart SF, following running back Carlos Hyde.

For his career, the 29-year-old has 80 starts to his credit – most of those coming with the Vikings. He also offers the ability to play center or guard. He projects as a reserve in Atlanta (though he did grade out better than Wes Schweitzer, per Pro Football Focus), but his versatility should garner him some playing time.

The Falcons’ starting five, as shown on Roster Resource, is slated to include Jake Matthews, Andy Levitre, Alex Mack, Wes Schweitzer, and Ryan Schrader. Fusco joins Garland and Sean Harlow as the club’s reserve guards, though Garland may be more geared towards the center position. Ty Sambrailo and Austin Pasztor can also see time at guard, but they are ticketed more for work on the outside.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/18

March 14th, 2018 at 4:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Here are today’s restricted free agent and exclusive-rights free agent tender decisions, with the list being updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:

RFAs

Tendered at the second-round level ($2.914MM):

Tendered at original round level ($1.907MM):

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

Five Teams In On DE Adrian Clayborn

March 14th, 2018 at 12:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Defensive end Adrian Clayborn is drawing interest from a number of teams. The Patriots, Colts, Bucs, Browns, and the incumbent Falcons are all in the mix, a source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Clayborn led the Falcons with 9.5 sacks last season, a career high, and entered free agency as one of our top 50 free agents available. Nearly two-thirds of that total came against the Cowboys when Tyron Smith was sidelined. With more than half of that list spoken for, he now stands as one of the best edge rushers available.

Clayborn graded out as PFF’s No. 19 ranked edge defender in 2017. Each of these teams utilize a 4-3 scheme, a setup in which Clayborn has spent his entire NFL career.

A Bucs reunion is in play. Tampa Bay, which let Clayborn walk in 2015 after an injury-riddled run in south Florida, has Robert Ayers and William Gholston penciled in as starters. The Colts hold more than $7oMM in cap space and have yet to make much of a splash thus far on the market. They are converting to a 4-3 look and could use proven linemen. The Browns have already added rotational cog Chris Smith and also have Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib as Myles Garrett complements. New England skated by without much depth at end last season but has Trey Flowers back and some unproven young cogs as well.

Jets, Falcons Interested In Broncos QB Trevor Siemian?

March 14th, 2018 at 10:45am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos are fielding calls on Trevor Siemian and at least two teams are in the mix. The Jets and Falcons are interested in the signal caller, according to Troy Renck of The Denver Post (on Twitter).

It would be surprising, to say the least, if the Jets still have interest in Siemian after re-signing Josh McCown and adding Teddy Bridgewater in free agency. Popular thought has been that the Jets would explore QB options in the draft, perhaps at No. 6 overall, in order to groom a younger player for the position behind the two veterans. It’s possible that the Jets would prefer to go with a deeper depth chart of three established QBs while using their top pick to bolster another department.

The Falcons would also make for an odd destination for Siemian given that they recently inked backup Matt Schaub to a two-year extension. While Atlanta could get out of Schuab’s deal with relative ease, the club wouldn’t have made the move to keep Schaub unless it was comfortable with him as Matt Ryan‘s No. 2. Siemian could potentially serve as the Falcons’ third-stringer, but many teams like to keep that spot open for a developmental arm.

Siemian offered league-average production in 14 games as the Broncos’ starter in 2016, as the former seventh-round pick completed 59.5% of his passes for 3,401 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Last season, however, Siemian struggled mightily, and Denver ultimately turned to Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch under center.

Siemian could conceivably attract interest from any number of teams as a backup quarterback, especially given his price tag. He’ll earn just $1.907MM in 2018 (a raise over his scheduled base salary, thanks to the proven performance escalator), an entirely palatable figure for a No. 2 signal-caller.

Falcons Restructure Brooks Reed’s Deal

March 13th, 2018 at 11:28am CST by Ryan Posner

The Falcons have created $1.5MM in cap room toward next season by restructuring the contract of defensive end Brooks Reed, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Reed’s cap hit next season will be reduced from $5.44MM to $3.94MM. 

It had been reported last week that Reed agreed to restructure his deal with the Falcons. He was ranked as the No. 31 edge rusher in the NFL last season, in Pro Football Focus’ view.

Reed was set to enter the fourth year of a five-year, $22MM deal. The Falcons could use some breathing room in regards to available cap space. Entering Tuesday, they were No. 28 in the NFL, with $13.21MM in available space.

The Falcons’ secondary is mostly under contract for next year but a couple key players from their front seven are due to hit free agency, including Dontari Poe, Courtney Upshaw and Adrian Clayborn. The team also placed a second-round tender on safety Ricardo Allen on Monday.

Reed, 31, appeared in all 16 games last season — starting 14 — and racked up four sacks, which were the most since his rookie season with the Texans in 2011. Reed started in front of Clayborn last season, and the Falcons also have 2017 first-round pick Takkarist McKinley (six sacks in 2017) waiting in the wings.

Falcons Re-Sign OL Austin Pasztor, CB Leon McFadden

March 13th, 2018 at 11:00am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons have inked offensive lineman Austin Pasztor and cornerback Leon McFadden to one-year extensions through the 2018 season, the club announced today.

Pasztor, 27, was excellent as the Browns’ right tackle in 2016, but he surprisingly hasn’t garnered any interest as a starter since that season. Last year, he didn’t land a free agent contract until August, and went on to appear in only seven games as a reserve for the Falcons. Capable of playing both tackle and guard, Pasztor will likely continue as a backup in 2018, although he could compete to start at guard.

McFadden, a former third-round pick, signed with the Falcons in December but never played in a contest with the club. He’ll offer depth in the secondary, but his primary role will be on special teams if he makes the roster.

Falcons, Packers Interested In TE Ed Dickson

March 13th, 2018 at 9:30am CST by Dallas Robinson

Both the Falcons and Packers have interest in free agent tight end Ed Dickson, according to Vaughn McClure and Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter links).

Dickson, 30, didn’t play a large receiving role during his first three years with the Panthers, but an injury to starting tight end Greg Olsen allowed Dickson to play on 80% of Carolina’s offensive plays last season. While he wasn’t a world-beater, Dickson did manage 437 yards and a touchdown, solid numbers considering he’d managed just 370 receiving yards from 2014-16.

Atlanta needs another tight end after cutting Levine Toilolo, while Green Bay also has interest in another free agent tight end in Jimmy Graham. Richard Rodgers is due to become an unrestricted free agent, which will leave Lance Kendricks and Emanuel Byrd as the only two tight ends on the Packers’ roster when the new league year begins Wednesday.

Dickson worked intermittently as a starter in his first four years of the league with the Ravens, seizing opportunities behind the often-injured Dennis Pitta. Dickson started all 16 games his sophomore season in 2011 and had five touchdowns to with 54 receptions and 528 yards receiving — all career highs.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/12/18

March 12th, 2018 at 1:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s restricted free agent and exclusive-rights free agent tender decisions, with the list being updated throughout the day.

RFAs

Tendered at second-round level:

Tendered at original-round level:

Non-Tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-Tendered:

Falcons Place 2nd-Round Tender On Ricardo Allen

March 12th, 2018 at 12:53pm CST by Ryan Posner

The Falcons have placed a second-round tender on restricted free-agent safety Ricardo Allen worth $2.91MM, according to Vaughan McLure of ESPN. McLure notes that the tender doesn’t eliminate the chance of the Falcons still locking up Allen with a multi-year deal.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said in February that he believed the team could create the space to strike a multi-year deal with Allen. The 26-year-old made just $615K last year in base salary as an exclusive-rights free agent. He was graded by Pro Football Focus as the No. 31 safety in the league, tied with Tre Boston, Tashaun Gipson and Eric Reid. Allen will have until April 20 to sign an offer sheet with another team. The Falcons also have until June 15 to withdraw the tender.

Allen started 15 games at strong safety last season alongside Keanu Neal. Allen has started at least 14 games the last three seasons after the Falcons took him in the fifth round in 2014. Leon McFadden and Blidi Wreh-Wilson are the only members of the Falcons secondary due to become unrestricted free agents in the offseason. They have Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford locked in as the team’s top cornerbacks after they each signed multi-year extensions last year. The team will also be looking to extend quarterback Matt Ryan, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent after next season.

The Falcons have some precedent in signing a player to a restricted free agent tender and eventually signing them to an extension. They signed right tackle Ryan Schraeder to a second-round tender last March, which was worth $2.55MM. The Falcons ended up signing Schraeder to a five-year, $31.5MM extension in November, with $12.5MM guaranteed.

Falcons Interested In ASJ

March 11th, 2018 at 6:30pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Austin Seferian-Jenkins and the Jets may be a bit out of sync as far as terms go, but the team remains intent on retaining the tight end, per JLC. Now armed with the most cap space in the league, the Jets would be able to meet ASJ’s reported $7MM-AAV asking price. But it’s uncertain if they will. La Canfora connects the Falcons and Seahawks as being interested in Seferian-Jenkins.
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