Buy or Sell: Falcons Free Agents

The Falcons are not in good standing with the salary cap thanks to the signing of Kirk Cousins last offseason, currently sitting over $7 million in the red heading into the offseason. However, with some cuts, trades, and restructures, they can still create quite a bit of room to bring in new faces and retain some of their own.

*The Falcons have a number of pending free agents that will not be featured in this article due to the fact that they are not high-impact players.*

Falcons Must Keep

• Drew Dalman
• KhaDarel Hodge
• Mike Hughes

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The one aspect of the Falcons that has consistently been a positive over the last several years is the offensive line. It’s been among the better units in the league for three straight years, and continuity is a primary factor in the group’s success. Drew Dalman might not be an All-Pro, but he’s one of the better centers in the league, a position that’s not easily replaced. The Falcons need to find a way to keep him long-term.

KhaDarel Hodge is a special teams ace that was recently named to his first Pro Bowl. He may not get the same recognition as some of the stars on the Falcons, but those are the type of winning players great organizations don’t take for granted. Hodge also flashed some promise as a wide receiver at times and could be a decent third option in the future.

Mike Hughes was probably the biggest surprise of the Falcons season. There were questions about the cornerback spot opposite A.J. Terrell, and he put them to bed early, proving to be a more than capable starting cornerback. The Falcons should still look to upgrade this offseason, but at the very least, Hughes can provide quality depth that can play a starting role if needed.

Could Stay Or Could Go

• Justin Simmons
• Matthew Judon
• Nate Landman
• Ta’Quon Graham
• Rondale Moore

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There’s no question Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons severely underwhelmed expectations after the Falcons acquired them last offseason. Of the two, Simmons feels the more likely to return, given there is still an obvious need at safety, and he’s made it known how much he appreciated his time in Atlanta.

Judon, on the other hand, never really found his role in the defense. Perhaps the next defensive coordinator might see something in him, and the Falcons need as many pass rushers as they can get, but it feels like he’ll likely be headed elsewhere this offseason.

Nate Landman took a massive step back after being one of Atlanta’s breakout stars in 2023. However, he still offers some value as a backup linebacker that can be a weapon against rushing attacks. It wouldn’t be a terrible idea to bring him back as depth, but the Falcons need to upgrade this offseason.

Ta’Quon Graham never really seemed to find his footing again after a promising first couple of years in the league. He looks to be the next member of the woeful Falcons 2021 draft class heading out the door, but it wouldn’t be terrible to keep him around as depth.

Rondale Moore never played in a game for Atlanta after suffering a season-ending injury in the offseason. Depending on how his recovery goes, perhaps the Falcons still see a role for him as a gadget player in the offense.

Get Out

• Lorenzo Carter
• Richie Grant
• Dee Alford
• Kentavius Street
• Riley Patterson

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Lorenzo Carter was a decent depth piece for the Falcons in his first two seasons, but he basically sat around and collected a check in year three, recording just two quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, and no sacks over 13 games. The Falcons have to upgrade across their defensive front, which also means letting go of a guy like Kentavius Street, who was awful this season.

In the secondary, Richie Grant is another member of that failed Falcons 2021 draft class. He’s nothing more than a special teams player at best and could have trouble even making an NFL roster next season. Dee Alford was a fun story, but it quickly turned into a nightmare this season. Weak links in the secondary get exposed, and nobody was exposed more in 2024 than Alford, who cost the Falcons a number of games and probably a spot in the postseason.

The Falcons do need to address their kicking situation going into 2025, bringing in some competition for Younghoe Koo. The veteran should not just be given the job after what transpired this season, but Riley Patterson has no business being in that competition. He’s not an NFL kicker, and I would be pretty shocked if he ever kicked in the league again.

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Photographer: Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire