As free agency approaches, we are now in the meat of my free agency wish list for the Falcons. Terry Fontenot has plenty of cap space to work with and can open up even more with cuts and restructures. There isn’t really an available free agent who is unattainable, which should make this an exciting month for a team that has plenty of holes to fill, including at cornerback.
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Kendall Fuller
I’ll start by saying this cornerback free agent class leaves a lot to be desired after Jaylon Johnson and L’Jarius Sneed were franchise tagged, so the Falcons may have to survey other avenues if they are looking for a long-term partner opposite of A.J. Terrell.
Of the guys who could potentially fit that mold in free agency, Kendall Fuller tops my free agency wish list. The 29-year-old has eight years of experience and is coming off one of his better years in Washington. He also has versatility, previously playing in the slot and even safety, which could be attractive to the Falcons, who have a lot of questions in all of those areas. Fuller won’t break the bank and would ease a lot of the concerns in Atlanta’s cornerback room.
Tre’Davious White
This LSU in me is coming out a bit here, but I like the idea of taking a gamble on Tre’Davious White, who was just released by the Buffalo Bills. White made two Pro Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro in his first four seasons, but injuries have plagued him ever since. He hasn’t played a full season in four years and is coming off a torn Achilles. That’s not easy to bounce back from for a cornerback, but he’ll likely be cheap and could end up paying major dividends.
Steven Nelson
Nelson is like most of the players that appear on this list, a veteran with plenty of experience coming off a solid season. With the Texans in 2023, he notched four interceptions and 12 passes defended. Spotrac has his market value at two years, $16 million, which is more than palatable for a starting corner.
Stephon Gilmore
It wasn’t long ago that Gilmore was regarded as the best cornerback in football. Those days are behind him as he enters his age-34 season, but he showed last year with the Cowboys that he still has some juice in the tank. Like most veterans nearing the end of their careers, I would assume Gilmore would like to play for a contender before hanging up the cleats. The Falcons don’t necessarily fit that bill right now, but Terry Fontenot was able to get Calais Campbell to shockingly come to Atlanta last offseason, and Raheem Morris was heralded during the hiring process as a head coach that could help recruit free agents.
Chidobe Awuzie
Awuzie’s been in the league for seven years, starting 74 games. He’s spent the last three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, who used to feature Jessie Bates III on the back end of their defense before he signed with the Falcons last offseason. Perhaps that relationship carries some weight in free agency. Awuzie was a stud back in 2021 but a torn ACL in 2022 set him back a bit. Still 28-years-old, he would be a nice partner across from A.J. Terrell.
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Photo: Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
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