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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

CB Jerry Jacobs To Visit Falcons, Vikings

May 14th, 2024 at 11:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Jerry Jacobs has been on the market since the Lions elected not to retain him via an RFA tender. The veteran corner has since drawn interest from a list of teams which is growing.

Jacobs has visits lined up with the Falcons and Vikings, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Jacksonville recently hosted the 26-year-old as well, so he could have a few options to choose from when joining a new team this offseason. He has made 40 appearances (including 29 starts) over the past three seasons, all with Detroit.

The Lions’ secondary was a weak point last year, and it comes as little surprise the unit has seen plenty of turnover this offseason. Detroit traded for Carlton Davis and signed Amik Robertson, providing the team with a pair of starting-caliber newcomers. The team then used its top two draft picks on corners (Terrion Arnold in the first round, followed by Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the second).

As Detroit moves forward with a number of new contributors at the cornerback spot, Jacobs seeks out a new landing spot. The former UDFA matched his previous career high with eight pass deflections last season, also setting a new personal mark with three interceptions. He struggled in coverage, however, surrendering six touchdowns and an opposing passer rating of 96.5 as the nearest defender.

Atlanta has had a quiet offseason to date in terms of cornerbacks. The team lost Jeff Okudah in free agency, bringing in veteran Antonio Hamilton to replace him. The latter played primarily on special teams early in his career, but he has logged a defensive snap share of 61% during each of the past two seasons. The Falcons did not select a corner in the draft.

Minnesota, by contrast, has made a few notable secondary moves so far. The team inked Shaquill Griffin to a one-year, $4.55MM deal in free agency. The former Pro Bowler has 79 starts to his name, and he could hold down a first-team role in 2024. The Vikings then used a fourth-round selection in the draft on Khyree Jackson as a developmental option at the cornerback spot.

The three teams connected to Jacobs so far are in vastly different financial situations. The Jaguars currently have just over $34MM in cap space, whereas that figure sits at $16.67MM for the Vikings and $4.85MM for the Falcons. A short-term Jacobs deal will likely not be an expensive one, but it will be interesting to see how urgently Minnesota and/or Atlanta proceed regarding an offer following his visits.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/24

May 13th, 2024 at 6:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): DL Spencer Waege
  • Placed on reserve/retired list: OL Trente Jones

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: DL Chris Collins

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: OL Ireland Brown, CB Jason Maitre

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: RB Terrell Jennings, G Ryan Johnson, LB Jay Person, DE Jotham Russell
  • Waived: RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed: DL Elijah Chatman
  • Waived: OLB Jeremiah Martin

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Waived: OL Kellen Diesch

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: DL Shakel Brown

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: DE Nathan Pickering, LB Devin Richardson

Tennessee Titans

Falcons Sign Round 2 DT Ruke Orhorhoro

May 13th, 2024 at 5:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons continue to add to the number of 2024 draftees on the books. Second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro signed his rookie deal on Monday, per a team announcement.

Atlanta provided the NFL world with the biggest surprise of the draft’s first night by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. The team added an eventual Kirk Cousins successor in the process, but they also tried to move back into the first-round order. The latter move would have seen the Falcons acquire No. 10 overall, thus allowing them to add a defensive player.

Edge rush was seen as a glaring need for Atlanta ahead of the draft, and the team has been linked to Dallas Turner with respect to its trade-up efforts. The same is also true for defensive tackle Byron Murphy, however. The latter was ultimately selected 16th overall (with Turner going one spot later), and he certainly would have been a logical target for Atlanta given the team’s later draft moves.

Upon trading up the second-round order, Orhorhoro was selected with the No. 35 pick. That surprisingly meant he heard his name called one slot before Jer’Zhan Newton, whom many viewed as a strong Day 1 candidates. Nevertheless, Orhorhoro and fourth-rounder Brandon Dorlus will have a notable role in the short- and long-term future on the defensive line.

The former spent five seasons at Clemson, developing as a pass rusher along the way. Orhorhoro posted eight tackles for loss in each of the past three years, totaling 11.5 sacks during that span. The 6-4, 295-pounder will earn just over $9.9MM across the next four campaigns, as noted by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Orhorhoro will split reps with Dorlus as well as veterans Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata along the Falcons’ defensive interior.

Here is an updated look at the Falcons’ rookie class:

Falcons Add DB Dane Cruikshank, DL Bradlee Anae

May 11th, 2024 at 9:04am CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons are adding a pair of defenders to their offseason roster. The team is signing defensive back Dane Cruikshank and defensive lineman Bradlee Anae, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The duo auditioned for the Falcons yesterday.

Cruikshank is the more experienced of the two, with the defensive back having appeared in 54 career games (plus four playoff appearances). The majority of that playing time came with the Titans, where the former fifth-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career.

After compiling a career-high 43 tackles in 2021, Cruikshank has bounced around the NFL over the past couple of years. The defensive back joined the Bears in 2022, primarily appearing on special teams before landing on IR midway through that season. He was released by the Jets last offseason before catching on for his second stint with the Titans, where he got into a pair of games.

Cruikshank’s versatility makes him a valuable back-of-the-depth-chart option for a team. However, considering the Falcons will return much of their secondary depth in 2024 (plus the fact that they also added former Cardinals part-time starter Antonio Hamilton), Cruikshank’s best chances of making the roster would come via special teams.

Anae was a fifth-round pick by the Cowboys in 2020 and got into 11 games across two seasons with the organization. He’s spent the past two seasons bouncing between the Jets practice squad and active roster.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/10/24

May 10th, 2024 at 9:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Yesterday’s rush of rookie signings continued today. Here are Friday’s draft pick signings:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

  • K Will Reichard (sixth round, Alabama)
  • C Michael Jurgens (seventh round, Wake Forest)
  • DT Levi Drake Rodriguez (seventh round, Texas A&M-Commerce)

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • G Mason McCormick (fourth round, South Dakota State)
  • DT Logan Lee (sixth round, Iowa)

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/24

May 10th, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s minor transactions as we head into the weekend:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

  • Deemed international roster exemption: T Travis Clayton

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Cohen hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since his time in Chicago, where he earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as a punt returner, ended in 2020. The North Carolina A&T product had been part of an effective 1-2 punch with Jordan Howard but saw his role diminish with the arrival of David Montgomery in 2019. Since then, injuries have limited the explosive rusher’s ability to make an impact.

Bud Dupree Visits Chargers; OLB Drawing Interest From Falcons, Steelers

May 9th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers elected to keep both Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack in the fold this offseason, but the team is still interested in at least one of the top veteran edge rushers still on the market. Bud Dupree visited the team, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

While the Bolts are interested in adding what would be a high-profile rotational rusher behind their Pro Bowl OLB tandem, Dupree has seen a bit of a post-draft market emerge for his services. Two of his previous three employers — the Steelers and Falcons — have engaged in talks about a return, Schefter adds.

The NFL’s compensatory formula not including free agency moves made in May annually leads to a host of post-draft signings. A handful of notable free agents have signed since the draft, with additions and subtractions no longer affecting teams’ 2025 compensatory hauls. Dupree looks likely to be a post-draft signee, and of these three teams, one carries a clear need compared to the others.

When the Falcons surprised most by drafting Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall, they passed on bolstering their edge rush. Atlanta has been unable to generate consistent edge pressure for years, but Dupree made some contributions following his Titans release. Dupree’s 6.5 sacks last season were his most since 2020, when an ACL tear ended his Steelers run. Dupree tied with Calais Campbell for the team lead in sacks; Campbell is also not currently with the Falcons, though the team has kept the door open to a return for an age-38 season.

Dupree, 30, tallied just eight QB hits last season; his 24 pressures ranked 49th in the league. The Falcons attempted to trade back into Round 1, eyeing defensive help. The Falcons were aiming to land Laiatu Latu as well; that certainly would have depleted the team’s draft capital, considering where its second-round slot checked in. As it stands, Atlanta features Lorenzo Carter and 2022 second-round pick Arnold Ebiketie as its top OLBs. The team also chose Bralen Trice in Round 3.

The Steelers, who drafted Dupree in the 2015 first round and kept him through 2020 via the fifth-year option and franchise tag, has two clear-cut starters in T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. The latter took over as Watt’s top sidekick when Dupree defected to the Titans in 2021. Highsmith has emerged as one of the NFL’s better edge players since, and the Steelers rewarded him with an extension last year. The team has placed a priority on its OLB3 role, having Melvin Ingram and Markus Golden in that position in recent years.

A Chargers add would be perhaps the most interesting, seeing as the Bolts reached restructure agreements to keep Bosa and Mack (while unloading expensive wideouts Keenan Allen and Mike Williams). The team also received promising early returns from 2023 second-round OLB Tuli Tuipulotu, who totaled 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 12 QB hits as a rookie. While Bosa’s injury history makes backup pass-rushing firepower important for the Bolts, Tuipulotu already provides some bench assistance.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

49ers Notes: Cousins, Deebo, Gipson, Green

May 8th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

No matter how successful the 49ers become, we cannot seem to move past “what if?” scenarios involving bigger-name QBs. Although Tom Brady is retired (for the time being, at least), Kirk Cousins made a second free agency defection. The former Kyle Shanahan Washington pupil received a $100MM practical guarantee from the Falcons, tying him to the team for at least two seasons. Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr. pick raised the most eyebrows of any in the draft (and stunned Cousins), and one GM said (via the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora) the Falcons do not choose Penix at No. 8 if they do not believe a Cousins trade destination will emerge. Another GM viewed the Penix pick as a path for Cousins to, at long last, reunite with Shanahan in San Francisco.

It would cost the Falcons $37.5MM in dead money to trade Cousins before June 1 next year, and while one of the GMs who spoke to La Canfora the NFC South team would likely be willing to eat dead money to move the high-priced starter (presuming Penix is ready), the 49ers passing on a Brock Purdy extension to bring in a QB ahead of his age-37 season would be quite the development. Jed York has spoken of a Purdy extension, though La Canfora posits the former Mr. Irrelevant’s asking price could point Shanahan back to Cousins.

The 49ers made early preparations to sign Cousins in 2018, before their Jimmy Garoppolo extension, but Shanahan has long been a fan — to the point the 49ers were willing to offer No. 2 overall for the then-Washington QB in 2017. While dot connecting makes sense after the surprising Penix pick, several hurdles appear in the path to Cousins joining the 49ers this late in the game. Here is the latest out of San Francisco:

NFL Workouts: Jones, Ward, Summers, Tagovailoa

May 8th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Veteran wide receiver Zay Jones continues to make the rounds after getting released by the Jaguars last week. Since then, the 29-year-old pass catcher has taken visits with the Titans, Cardinals, and Cowboys. The newest report has Jones scheduling a visit with the Chiefs tomorrow, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

An impressive 2022 campaign that saw Jones catch 82 balls for 823 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs except for the touchdowns, was virtually erased by a disappointing 2023 campaign in which the receiver missed eight games due to a PCL issue and femur damage. The Jaguars opted not to finish out Jones’ final season of a three-year contract, for which Jones would have represented a $6.57MM cap charge.

In Kansas City, Jones could be a part of a completely new-look wide receiving corps for Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs have added Marquise Brown in free agency and Texas first-round rookie Xavier Worthy in the draft. They also return Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, and Noah Gray from last year, but Rice could be facing some legal trouble, and if healthy, Jones would be an improvement over the other three while playing alongside Brown and Worthy.

Here are a few other workouts happening around the NFL:

  • Career depth running back Jonathan Ward is participating in the Steelers rookie minicamp, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Over four years with the Cardinals and Titans, Ward only has 69 career rushing yards on 17 carries. He’s proven to be an active special teams contributor during that time, though.
  • The Broncos took a look at veteran linebacker Ty Summers at their rookie minicamp this past weekend, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Summers only has one career start over five years with the Packers, Jaguars, and Saints but has appeared in 71 games over that span. A linebacker with some speed, Summers is a productive special teamer, as well.
  • After agreeing to participate in the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp, undrafted Maryland quarterback, and brother of the Dolphins’ starting passer, Taulia Tagovailoa will attend the Cardinals‘ rookie minicamp this week, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The rookie will audition to join last year’s fifth-round pick Clayton Tune and 2022’s third-round pick for Atlanta Desmond Ridder as potential backup arms for Kyler Murray in 2024.
  • An undrafted linebacker who graduated from Harvard before playing as a graduate transfer at Villanova, Daniel Abraham has been invited to minicamps for both the Falcons and the Seahawks, per Wilson. The speedy linebacker obviously poses some interest due to both his athleticism and his intellect.
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