The Falcons wrapped up the draft cycle with a eight-player class littered with exciting prospects. Drake London will give Marcus Mariota or Desmond Ridder a big-bodied target that makes contested catches in his sleep. Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone bolster the worst pass rushing unit in football. Troy Andersen’s path to start is less clear, but the coaching staff is high on the off-ball linebacker.
All in all, I think the Falcons did a great job grabbing some high upside players, some of whom can contribute immediately at positions of need. However, there are still holes on the depth chart. Given Grady Jarrett‘s recent contract extension, Atlanta actually has a decent amount of cap space to acquire more pieces. This begins a series where I’ll highlight a handful of available free agents that could dramatically improve the team.
Quinton Spain
Spain’s career has been an interesting one. After four seasons in Tennessee that coincided with Arthur Smith’s time with the Titans, he signed a one-year deal with the Bills. Spain had a good year with Buffalo in 2019, in which he didn’t allow a single sack, but internal differences between Spain and Sean McDermott resulted in the former West Virginia Mountaineer being released and subsequently picked up by the Bengals, where he started eight games.
In 2021, Spain returned to Cincinnati, and he was undoubtedly the best offensive lineman protecting Joe Burrow. It’s actually a surprise Spain is still on the free-agent market. He’s not a Pro Bowler, but he performed perfectly acceptable at left guard for the Bengals. Jackson Carman will fill Spain’s position this year for Cincy, but the Falcons could be a terrific landing spot for him. Atlanta will have an open competition along the offensive front this offseason. If Spain competes with Jalen Mayfield and company, the veteran will likely come out on top.
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