The Falcons are not satisfied with their wide receiver room. The club added former Alabama wideout Slade Bolden prior to rookie minicamp, and they also brought in a former second-round pick for a tryout — J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.
The Spanish native was originally selected by the Eagles with the 57th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. In his senior season at Stanford, he hauled in 63 passes for over 1,000 yards and 14 scores.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound pass catcher was heralded for his ability to play above the rim but rarely found success once he entered the league. Arcega-Whiteside caught 10 passes for 169 yards and one touchdown in his rookie season, four catches for 85 yards in 2020 and two catches for 36 yards in 2021.
During an attempt to transition to tight end, Arcega-Whiteside was traded to the Seahawks, where he didn’t play a single game. He’s only 26 years old, so there is time to make a potential comeback, but Falcons fans shouldn’t hold their breath.
Atlanta’s receiver room is by far the thinnest position group. Outside of Drake London, there aren’t many inspiring options. Scott Miller and Mack Hollins are likely to assume a bulk of the WR2 and WR3 snaps at this point, but it’s clear that the Falcons aren’t comfortable with what they currently have at wideout.
Don’t be surprised if the Falcons add a receiver around August when final cuts around the league flood the free-agent market with players. Atlanta isn’t as reliant on the position as others, but the club does expect a contribution on special teams, so that will play a factor in whoever they target.
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