Opinion: Freeman Deal Will Be Tough
- The Falcons are confident that a deal is close for Devonta Freeman, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) says that it will be a hard deal to do. For starters, Freeman is one of the league’s most explosive running backs and he is only 25 years old, so he can command a whooper of a contract. But, if Le’Veon Bell re-sets the market in July with the Steelers before Freeman signs, it may get even tougher for Atlanta to get a deal done.
Falcons Believe Devonta Freeman Deal Will Happen Soon
The Falcons are confident that they’ll have a deal done with Devonta Freeman by the first week of training camp, a source tells ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini (on Twitter). The Falcons will kick off training camp at the end of July, so this means a deal could be coming in the next month or so. 
Earlier today, Freeman said in a radio interview that he is willing to wait until next offseason to discuss his contract with the Falcons if the right deal does not materialize this summer. Both sides want to get a deal done, but the Falcons likely do not want to reset the running back market with a new contract for the 25-year-old.
The former fourth-round pick is slated to play out the 2017 season at a paltry $1.92MM cap number. After that, the Falcons could retain him through the costly franchise tag if they do not want to risk losing him to free agency. If Freeman continues to play at a high level and is allowed to test the open market, the bidding could quickly get crazy.
The Falcons have fellow running back Tevin Coleman under contract for two more years, but the ideal scenario would have Atlanta keeping both players in the fold. Last year, Freeman ran for 1,079 yards with 11 touchdowns. He also added 54 catches for 462 yards and two scores. Coleman, who ate into his workload, had 941 all-purpose yards and 11 total touchdowns.
Devonta Freeman Willing To Wait For Deal
It’s no secret that running back Devonta Freeman wants a new, long-term deal with the Falcons. However, he’s also making it known that he just won’t sign anything. Freeman says that he is comfortable with playing out his current contract and picking up talks next spring. 
[RELATED: Dwight Freeney Wants To Play In 2017]
“I would love to get a contract done before the season, but I want it to be right,” Freeman told SiriusXM (Twitter links). “If I had to play the whole season I’m down for that.”
Freeman also expressed confidence in a multi-year deal getting done, but he stressed that both sides will have to be comfortable in order for it to work. It’s not immediately clear what it will take for Freeman to feel comfortable with an offer, particularly after his agent said earlier this year that he wants “elite” running back money. Something like LeSean McCoy‘s $8MM-per-year deal could be a target for Freeman and his reps may also see a potential new Le’Veon Bell contract as something that is within reach. Given his age and talent level, he should be able to at least top Doug Martin‘s five-year, $35.75MM contract with the Bucs, a deal which included $15MM in guarantees.
Recently, GM Thomas Dimitroff expressed confidence in an extension being on the horizon. And even though Freeman’s camp made waves during the playoffs last year, the running back is not planning to hold out. It remains to be seen whether a new deal can get signed this summer, but the good news is that the relationship between the team and player seems to be on solid ground.
Devonta Freeman Staying Patient
Devonta Freeman is staying patient with regards to his contract talks with the Falcons, as ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure writes. Freeman has already made a major mark on the franchise after becoming the first Falcons running back since Michael Turner (2010-11) to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. The Falcons obviously want to keep him in the fold beyond the final year of his rookie contract, but it may take some time for the two sides to come to terms. Freeman’s agent famously said that he wants him to be paid like an “elite” running back, but Atlanta would like to avoid going into Le’Veon Bell/LeSean McCoy territory with a new deal.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/15/17
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Marquis Lucas
- Waived: LB Christian Tago
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Harvey Binford, WR Fred Brown, LB Jeremiah George
- Waived: WR Marcus Leak, WR Al-Damion Riles, DT Kristjan Sokoli
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed off waivers: CB Taurean Nixon (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9News)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Trevon Hartfield, T Donald Hawkins
- Waived: OL Corin Brooks, CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: QB Dylan Thompson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LS Thomas Gafford (Twitter link via Joel Erickson of the Advocate)
- Waived: OL Cameron Lee (Twitter link via Erickson), LS Jesse Schmitt (Twitter link via Herbie Teope of NOLA.com)
- Waived/injured: WR Dan Arnold
Dwight Freeney Wants To Play In 2017
Just over a week ago, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn wasn’t sure if free agent defensive end Dwight Freeney wanted to continue his career. Now he has an answer.
“He wants to play,” Quinn told reporters, including Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, on Wednesday. “I’d say he’s further along in the decision than he was last year.”
Freeney took until last August to ink a $2MM deal with the Falcons, and he went on to appear in 15 games and rack up three sacks with the NFC champions in 2016. The 37-year-old also ranked an impressive 39th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 109 qualified edge defenders, even outdoing 15.5-sack teammate Vic Beasley (48th), but the Falcons aren’t committed to re-signing him.
“He knows I’m going down the line of looking at our team here,” said Quinn, who McClure notes wants to develop his team’s young pass rushers, including Beasley (last year’s sack champion) and first-round pick Takkarist McKinley. Both McKinley (shoulder) and Adrian Clayborn (biceps) come with injury concerns, McClure points out, which could eventually lead to a reunion with Freeney. Indeed, Quinn will consider Freeney “no matter what” while he evaluates his current options.
If the Falcons ultimately don’t re-up Freeney, it stands to reason another contender in need of a pass rusher could ink the seven-time Pro Bowler. Freeney provided a boost to the Cardinals’ defense the year before he joined the Falcons, notching eight sacks and three forced fumbles in 2015 for a club that went to the NFC title game, and won’t come at a bank-breaking cost. Also a former Colt and Charger, the 15-year veteran has totaled 122.5 sacks – good for 18th all-time.
Falcons Sign Martin Ifedi, Waive Darius English
- The Falcons announced (via Twitter) that they have waived linebacker/defensive end Darius English. The former South Carolina standout finished his college career with 134 tackles and 15 sacks in 41 games. English previously played at McEachern High School, where he won AAAAA Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Atlanta Journal Constitution (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of AJC).
- The Falcons have added Martin Ifedi, according to Ledbetter (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). The former seventh-round pick was waived by the Rams prior to the 2015 season, and he also had a brief stint with the Buccaneers. The Memphis product initially joined the Falcons’ practice squad late last season.
[SOURCE LINK]
Dontari Poe Has Weigh-In Tomorrow
- We heard earlier today that Eddie Lacy passed his weigh-in with the Seahawks, which netted him a $55K bonus, but he was not the league’s biggest loser this week. As Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes, Cowboys offensive lineman Byron Bell picked up $150K by weighing in at less than 320 pounds on Monday, and he can earn another $300K if he meets his weight requirements at the start of training camp and the first week of the regular season. And, per ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter), if Falcons NT Dontari Poe weighs 340 pounds or less tomorrow, he earns $125K.
Ben Garland Favorite For Falcons' RG Job?
- Ben Garland may be ready to stick on one side of the ball this season and will probably see time in consecutive seasons for the first time in his career. Used on defense as well during the Falcons‘ NFC championship season, Garland will battle Wes Schweitzer for the right guard job vacated by Chris Chester, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. Schweitzer was a sixth-round pick last year who did not suit up as a rookie. Ledbetter notes the 29-year-old Garland may have a slight upper hand going into minicamp. Garland’s previous opportunity to vie for a starting job ended quickly, with the 2015 Broncos bringing in Evan Mathis midway through training camp after Garland worked with Denver’s first-stringers at that camp’s outset. Garland, though, played in all 19 Falcons games last season after spending most of the ’15 season on Atlanta’s practice squad.
Latest On Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney says that he would like to return to the Falcons. What’s not clear is whether the Falcons necessarily want him back. Coach Dan Quinn told reporters that he has spoken to the veteran, but he has not spoken to him about a return, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. He declined whether to say if he’d be interested in having Freeney on the team for 2017.
“I haven’t even found out if he’s ready to play yet,” Quinn said. “I know he was pretty committed to golf. He’s such a competitor. But our conversations haven’t been about playing. When we drafted [first-round defensive end Takkarist McKinley], that was someone I wanted him to connect with. But we haven’t talked about playing. If he does [bring it up], he knows we’re going down the line of looking at our team here first.”
In addition to adding McKinley, the Falcons also signed Jack Crawford this offseason. Still, there could still be room made for Freeney after he found success as a situational pass rusher last season. For his part, Freeney would like to suit up again for Atlanta. After the team received a $4MM+ post June 1 cap credit, the Falcons could theoretically afford to link up again.