Terry Fontenot is going to be spinning a lot of plates this offseason. The Falcons have to tackle the Kirk Cousins dilemma, with the NFL Draft looming the month after. Sandwiched in between, Atlanta will have free agency, with one of their own — Drew Dalman — set to test the market.
One of the few homegrown stars of Fontenot’s tenure as Falcons GM, Dalman beat the odds as a fourth-round pick. He became a starter shortly after arriving in Atlanta and never looked back, becoming one of the better centers in the league.
The Falcons have the opportunity to bring him back, which would mean Atlanta would have the same five starters across the offensive line for a third consecutive season. That’s a rarity in today’s NFL, and continuity along the offensive line is one of the most underrated aspects of successful units.
Unfortunately, he’s hitting free agency at the right time. Drew Dalman is easily the best center available this offseason, and there’s no solution in the first round of the draft either. That means Dalman will be a hot commodity, with several teams interested in his services, most notably the Chicago Bears, who ESPN’s Matt Bowen named as the best team fit for him.
“I matched Trey Smith to the Bears, but this team can’t stop there this spring. Let’s also put Dalman — the top center in free agency — next to Smith. Dalman wins his assignments with movement and leverage to offset a smaller frame (6-3, 300 pounds). He’s a technician on the tape, best suited for the zone run game, and his pass block win rate of 95.1% ranked ninth among centers with at least 500 snaps (he missed time due to an ankle injury, though).”
The Bears have a lot of money to spend and could outbid the Falcons if they wanted to. They also have every incentive in the world to sign Dalman. Caleb Williams needs a better offensive line, and Ben Johnson’s offense is the perfect fit for a center like Dalman.
Chicago is hardly the only team that could use a high-quality center, though. To name a few, the Packers, 49ers, and Chargers could also be in the market for Drew Dalman. It will not be a cakewalk for the Falcons to retain him.
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Photographer: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire
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