Terry Fontenot’s seat might not be as warm as Falcons fans believe

The Falcons haven’t made the playoffs once since Terry Fontenot took over as general manager in Atlanta; in fact, the club hasn’t had a winning record since Fontenot came over from New Orleans.

Context does matter. Fontenot took over an awful cap situation, and his hands were tied for the first couple of offseasons when it came to free agency. However, simply put, not many GMs survive four seasons of sub-.500 football.

While Fontenot didn’t have a vast amount of cap space until the offseason before the 2023 season, the Falcons haven’t been able to consistently draft under his tutelage, and even when he had money to spend on free agents, it didn’t result in tangible improvements.

The postseason drought has obviously not sat well with Falcons fans, and it’s led many to believe that 2025 is put-up-or-shut-up time for Terry Fontenot. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m guessing the list of GMs who have overseen five seasons without a playoff berth and got a sixth season is incredibly short.

That would mean this could be Fontenot’s last offseason to construct a playoff-caliber roster, but everything we’ve seen from the club this offseason would indicate that isn’t the case at all. Perhaps Fontenot’s seat isn’t as warm as some Falcons fans believe.

Here’s what the Falcons have done this offseason:

• Agreed to a two-year, $45 million extension with Jake Matthews
• Extended Liam McCullough
• Released to Grady Jarrett
• Let Drew Dalman walk in free agency
• Signed Divine Deablo to a two-year, $14 million deal
• Signed Mike Hughes to a three-year, $18 million deal
• Signed Leonard Floyd to a one-year, $10 million deal
• Signed Mike Ford to a two-year, $4 million deal
• Signed KhaDarel Hodge to a two-year, $6 million deal
• Placed a right of first refusal tender on restricted free agent Ryan Neuzil
• Signed Morgan Fox to a two-year, $8.5 million deal
• Signed Jordan Fuller to a free agent deal
• Signed Jamal Agnew to a one-year, $2.5 million deal
• Signed Feleipe Franks

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You’d have a tough time arguing that the Falcons, as currently constructed, are better today than they were a year ago at this time. It’s not exactly the kind of moves you’d typically expect from a GM with his back against the wall.

These are moves that a GM with job security makes, a GM who has been told that 2025 won’t be his last season. Of course, I don’t know what’s being said inside the buildings of Flowery Branch, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the general public has no gauge of the temperature within the organization.

That feels like the only logical explanation for the Falcons quiet offseason.

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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire