A Christmas list for the Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons probably deserve coal in their stockings this Christmas, but they’ve outperformed expectations on multiple occasions. Atlanta has a knack for beating teams that they should, but at some point, they have to start punching above their weight class. Maybe Santa Claus can help them out.

5. Calvin Ridley

With all due respect to Calvin Ridley’s mental health, I hope we get to see him back on the field soon. The Falcons badly need him, and he’s a fun player to watch.

4. A Grady Jarrett Extension

There aren’t many true franchise cornerstones on this roster, but Grady Jarrett is absolutely one of them. Easily the best player on Atlanta’s front seven, the Falcons should look to keep Jarrett in Red & Black for a long time. They’d save a couple bucks doing it, too.

3. A Home Win

The Falcons haven’t won a home game in over a year, and if they can’t get one Sunday against the suddenly hot Detroit Lions, I’m not sure when the next one will be. Their last home game is against New Orleans in Week 18.

2. More Draft Picks

This is a pretty solid draft class, and the Falcons have a lot of money dedicated to the top of their roster. Hitting on draft picks consistently is the only way the Falcons are going to get back to winning anytime soon. The more bites of the apple you can get, the better. Maybe a few trades will yield some picks.

1. Cap Space

Of course this was coming. The Falcons will have a little money to work with, and they can likely land a few impact free agents. The Falcons have all types of trades, cuts, restructures, and extensions at their disposal. It’s up to them to use them the right way. We’ll see if Atlanta takes the same strategy of signing guys to vet minimum contracts, or if they finally decide to make a splash. You can read about ten free agents that should be on Atlanta’s Christmas list here.