Now that the new CBA is in place, the cuts are beginning to come in waves. Early this morning, it was announced the Falcons will be moving on from Desmond Trufant, which will save the team at least $5 million against the cap. While that move was a little less expected, this one was not. Atlanta will also be cutting running back Devonta Freeman, saving them $3.5 million in 2020 and could potentially be even more if they decide to designate him a Post-June 1st cut.
The #Falcons are releasing RB Devonta Freeman, source says, saving more than $3M against the salary cap and moving on from their former starter.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2020
Following back-to-back Pro-Bowl campaigns, the Falcons handed Freeman — at the time — the richest contract for a running back in the NFL (5 years, $41.25 million) — a move they would quickly regret. Once Kyle Shanahan was no longer the offensive coordinator, Freeman’s production took a nosedive. He also wasn’t able to stay on the field consistently, missing 18 games over the past three seasons. Last year, Freeman only rushed for 656 yards on 184 carries (3.6 YPC) in 14 contests. But it’s not fair to put all the blame on him. The offensive line has been shoddy at best over the last few years. Still, this was a necessary move with the team desperately looking to create cap space this offseason.
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