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Grady Jarrett

Latest On Falcons, Grady Jarrett

July 15th, 2019 at 8:38am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett are unlikely to reach an agreement before the franchise tag extension deadline, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com hears (on Twitter). If that is indeed the case and nothing is signed today, Jarrett will play out the 2019 season on his one-year, $15.35MM tender. 

[RELATED: 49ers Sign Robbie Gould To Extension]

Jarrett’s six sacks in 2018 were impressive for an interior lineman, but he’s shown that he has even more to offer. Last year, Jarrett tied with Michael Pierce for the No. 5 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings for defensive tackles. Over the course of 463 pass rush snaps and 245 run defense snaps, Jarrett proved that he is one of the best at his position.

A new deal for the 26-year-old likely would have given the Falcons some additional breathing room this year, but they’re also working on new deals for wide receiver Julio Jones and linebacker Deion Jones. It’s a delicate balancing act, though owner Arthur Blank had said he expects all three players to be “Falcons for life.”

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.

Julio Jones, Rest Of Falcons In Camp

June 11th, 2019 at 8:10pm CST by Micah Powell

Led by star receiver Julio Jones, all players who did not attend Falcons OTAs arrived for the first day on minicamp, the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets. 

That list includes the recently franchise-tagged Grady Jarrett, defensive end Vic Beasley and linebacker Deion Jones.

In addition to arriving for mandatory minicamp, Julio Jones is not worried about his contract and is sure a new deal will get done, ESPN’s Vaughn McClure writes.

“The situation will get handled. It’s just a matter of time when they’re going to do it. Mr. Blank has spoken, so what more do I need to say or talk about?” Jones said.

McClure notes that in addition to a reworked deal for the pass-catcher, the Falcons also hope to sign Jarrett and Deion Jones to extensions. In addition to Julio not worried about his deal getting done, Falcons owner Arthur Blank sounds just as confident.

“I’m not worried about getting the deals done. I’m speaking on behalf of Atlanta and Atlanta fans. [General manager] Thomas [Dimitroff] is working hard to get them done. Coach [Dan] Quinn is supportive, as well. It will happen. It’s just a matter of when,” Blank said.

Though he did arrive at the three-day minicamp, Julio will not be participating due to a foot injury. Jones is coming off his fifth consecutive 1,400-yard campaign and led the league with 1,677 receiving yards in 2018.

Latest On Falcons’ Extension Candidates

June 5th, 2019 at 6:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

For a second straight offseason, the subject of Julio Jones‘ contract has been a key offseason Falcons talking point. But next week, the All-Pro wide receiver will be with the team when it conducts its minicamp.

Dan Quinn confirmed (via The Athletic’s Jeff Schultz, on Twitter) the ninth-year receiver will show for minicamp, which begins June 11. So will fourth-year defensive end Vic Beasley. It is not yet certain if franchise-tagged defensive tackle Grady Jarrett will join them, though Quinn anticipates he will. Skipping mandatory minicamp would cost the trio nearly $90K each.

Regardless of the statuses of Jones, Jarrett and fellow extension candidate Deion Jones, the Falcons expect to re-sign all three. He did not specify a plan for Beasley, who joined the group in staying away from Falcons OTAs.

“We have a salary cap. We have limits that we have to think about not only today but tomorrow, and we have to balance all that off,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “But these are three great young men that we care deeply about, both personally and professionally. They are going to be Falcons for life.

“I’m not worried about getting the deals done. I’m speaking on behalf of Atlanta and Atlanta fans. Thomas [Dimitroff] is working hard to get them done. Coach Quinn is supportive as well. It will happen. It’s just a matter of when.”

A new deal for Jones has been rumored for weeks now, and it will almost certainly make the 30-year-old receiver the league’s new highest-paid player at the position. Two seasons remain on the five-year, $71.25MM extension he signed in 2015. Jarrett is tethered to a $15.2MM franchise tag. Jones would have the most to gain by signing an extension before the season. The former second-round pick’s rookie deal pays him just $1.45MM. The Falcons picked up Beasley’s fifth-year option (worth $12.8MM) last year.

The Falcons, though, are light on cap space ($6.5MM, the fifth-lowest figure at the moment), so it will take some work to fulfill Blank’s vision.

NFC South Notes: Little, Falcons, Grayson

May 12th, 2019 at 10:00am CST by Rory Parks

The Panthers traded up in the second round of the 2019 draft to land Ole Miss offensive tackle Greg Little, and as Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes, Carolina’s left tackle job is seemingly Little’s to lose. The Panthers deployed Taylor Moton on the blindside last season, but GM Marty Hurney‘s preference is to have Moton play right tackle. Daryl Williams is still in the mix for a spot on the right side of the line, but the club appears prepared to pencil in Little as its starting LT, which would make the rookie a key figure in the Panthers’ 2019 fortunes.

Now for more from the NFC South:

  • The Falcons have until July 15 to work out a long-term extension with franchise-tagged defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, but GM Thomas Dimitroff recently conceded that Jarrett may play out the 2019 campaign under the tag, which suggests that the two sides still aren’t particularly close on a new contract. Dimitroff said (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), “I’m confident that something will get done one way or the other. If it doesn’t, we have a year to continue to talk about it.”
  • The Falcons‘ starting safety tandem of Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, who are recovering from major injuries that ended their 2018 seasons prematurely, are both expected to be at full strength by the time training camp begins in July, as Ledbetter notes in a separate piece.
  • The Saints tried out former LSU track star Cyril Grayson yesterday, as Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune tweets. Grayson has spent time with the Seahawks, Colts, and Bears, but he has yet to see regular season action.

Grady Jarrett Signs Franchise Tender

April 22nd, 2019 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

One key piece of Falcons business wrapped up Monday. Grady Jarrett signed his franchise tender, the team announced.

The fifth-year defensive tackle is back in the fold and now attached to a $15.209MM salary. This may be the prelude to an extension. While nothing appears to be imminent, this is a good sign for those prospects. The Falcons have just more than three months to finalize an extension with Jarrett.

Arthur Blank said recently he views Jarrett as a “Falcon for life.” The sides were not close on a deal prior to the March deadline to apply franchise tags to players, but this situation now certainly seems like one of the least acrimonious of all the tagged performers in 2019.

One of the league’s top interior defenders in recent years, Jarrett will likely want a deal that either approaches or surpasses Fletcher Cox‘s. The Eagles gave their standout defensive tackle a $17.1MM-per-year extension in 2016, when the cap resided at $155.3MM. The 2019 league year features a $188.2MM cap, pointing Jarrett’s representation to surely seek to top that pact. Although Jarrett has no Pro Bowls on his resume, he is coming off a career-best six-sack season. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 interior defender in 2018.

The Falcons hold just $2.62MM in cap space. A Jarrett re-up would increase those funds.

NFC South Notes: Bucs, Falcons, Saints

March 27th, 2019 at 7:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While previous reports have indicated the Buccaneers plan to retain Gerald McCoy, the veteran defensive tackle may actually not be safe, especially given head coach Bruce Arians‘ most recent comments to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “He’s not as disruptive as he was four years ago,” Arians said. “But he’s still pretty disruptive. He’s still a good player….I got to evaluate him. I mean, guys at a certain age, it’s different. Usually, the age they get paid the most and production (doesn’t) match. We’ve got to find that out.” McCoy, 31, ranked fourth among defensive tackles with 21 quarterback hits in 2018 and finished as the NFL’s No. 28 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. He’s signed through 2021, but Tampa Bay won’t incur any dead money by releasing McCoy (and would save $13MM against the cap).

Here’s more from the NFC South:

  • The Buccaneers had interest in edge rusher Brandon Copeland before he re-signed with the Jets, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com tweets. Tampa Bay ranked 28th in the NFL with 31 sacks a season ago, so the club can certainly use some extra help in getting pressure. However, the Bucs have already signed Shaquil Barrett to a one-year deal, so Copeland could have been viewed as redundant. Copeland. who also drew interest from New England, Washington, and Detroit, only landed one year and $1.25MM from New York, so Tampa Bay could have probably outbid Gang Green if it had serious interest.
  • Franchise-tagged defensive tackle Grady Jarrett will be a “Falcon for life,” team owner Arthur Blank told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Atlanta will control Jarrett through at least the 2019 campaign after franchising him, but that will come at a heavy cost: $15.209MM, a figure that makes Jarrett the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid interior defender. Jarrett, who has started 44 games over the past three years, will likely target an average annual value closer to Fletcher Cox‘s $17.1MM and a full guarantee package in excess of $50MM. Atlanta currently has less than $5MM in available cap space; an extension for Jarrett would lower his 2019 cap charge and increase the Falcons’ available funds.
  • Saints general manager Mickey Loomis will no longer be involved in running the NBA’s Pelicans, reports Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com (Twitter link). Loomis, who’s been the Saints’ GM since 2002, took over as the Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations in 2012. However, there was reportedly some concern within the Saints’ franchise that Loomis was being “spread too thin,” according to Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. The Pelicans are in the process of hiring a new GM, one who will report directly to Saints/Pelicans owner Gayle Benson.
  • Nick Easton‘s four-year deal with the Saints is worth $22.5MM but contains only $4MM in guaranteed money, tweets Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune, who adds Easton received a $2MM signing bonus. As Mike Triplett of ESPN.com suggests (via Twitter), Easton’s deal is essentially a one-year deal with a series of options in 2020 ($5MM), 2021 ($6MM), and 2022 ($7.5MM).

Falcons Use Franchise Tag On Grady Jarrett

March 4th, 2019 at 3:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Grady Jarrett will not be reaching the market. The Falcons will retain their standout defensive tackle via the franchise tag, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

The Falcons have said for months they hoped to keep Jarrett in the fold, and this tag — worth $15.209MM — will allow them to keep working toward that goal. No deal is imminent, however. The Falcons have until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement with their soon-to-be 26-year-old interior defender.

This is the first defensive tackle among 2019 free agents-to-be to receive a tag, but fellow pass rushers Jadeveon Clowney, DeMarcus Lawrence and Frank Clark are being retained by their respective teams. So is Dee Ford. Jarrett would have been in line for a monster payday on the market, but the tag will still provide the 2015 fifth-round pick with a substantial raise.

One of the league’s top interior pass rushers, Jarrett is best known for his three-sack performance in Super Bowl LI. He has 14 career sacks, also forcing three fumbles last season.

Falcons, DT Grady Jarrett Not Close To Deal

March 3rd, 2019 at 10:51am CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons may be forced to use the franchise tag on Grady Jarrett. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the defensive tackle and the organization are “not close to reaching a new contract deal.”

The deadline to place the franchise tag on a player is March 5th. If the Falcons don’t agree to an extension with Jarrett by that time, the team may have no choice but to tag the defensive lineman. Otherwise, the team would have to let the 25-year-old hit free agency, at which time he could garner a number of lucrative offers.

As Ledbetter notes, the team may struggle to afford Jarrett’s franchise value. The franchise tag for defensive tackles is $15.21MM, and that would take up the majority of the Falcons’ $22.3MM in cap space.

The Falcons have made it clear that they want to retain Jarrett, with general manager Thomas Dimitroff telling Ledbetter that the organization is focused on getting a deal done. Head coach Dan Quinn had similar thoughts, and he indicated that the team may be willing to franchise the lineman.

“I would say it’s definitely on the table to discuss really thoroughly, but we’ll have to wait until to then to see if a deal can be done first,” Quinn said. “The good news is…that our team and Grady’s team can have good conversations about things that hopefully we can keep working towards some common ground that would be right for both sides.”

The 2015 fifth-round pick has established himself as one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL. Despite playing in only 14 games in 2018, he still had his best statistical season, compiling 52 tackles, six sacks, and three forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus ranked Jarrett fifth among 112 eligible interior defenders.

Falcons May Tag Grady Jarrett

February 28th, 2019 at 11:31am CST by Zachary Links

Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is set for free agency, but the Falcons don’t intend on losing him. General manager Thomas Dimitroff feels “very confident” that Jarrett will be with the team next year and says the franchise tag is a possibility (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure). 

If tagged, Jarrett won’t necessarily be thrilled. The former fifth-round pick has tallied ten sacks over the last two seasons, including a career-high six sacks in 2018. He’s poised for a big payday and probably prefers a long-term deal to the one-year, $15.35MM tender for defensive tackles.

Jarrett’s six sacks were impressive for an interior lineman, but he’s shown that he has even more to offer. Last year, Jarrett tied with Michael Pierce for the No. 5 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings for defensive tackles. Over the course of 463 pass rush snaps and 245 run defense snaps, Jarrett proved that he is one of the best at his position.

If Jarrett were permitted to reach free agency, he’d easily profile as one of the ten best players available. But, unsurprisingly, the Falcons won’t let him get there.

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