With a new coaching staff in place, the Atlanta Falcons figure to be quite active in free agency this offseason.
Offense could very well be the Falcons' main focus this offseason, as that unit is seemingly only a piece or two away from being in the league's upper echelon. However, new head coach Raheem Morris is a defense-first guy, so that side of the ball will surely get some attention too.
For a prominent name on defense, ESPN suggests that Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White would be a good fit in Atlanta.
"White could use his second-level range to make plays in both the run and pass games, while also being deployed as a blitzer in the Falcons' loaded fronts," ESPN writes. "He has 23 career sacks over five seasons with Tampa Bay, and new Falcons coach Raheem Morris could scheme him up to maximize his skill set."
The No. 5 overall pick in 2019, White has certainly put up some gaudy stats through five seasons in Tampa Bay. Over that time, the LSU product has 566 total tackles, 40 tackles for loss and 23 sacks. He was also a second-team All-Pro selection in 2020 and a Pro Bowler in 2021.
That said, there are some big red flags when it comes to signing White, and not just the one that acts as the Bucs' logo. His underlying numbers, especially over the past two years are outright bad, as he finished with a paltry PFF grade of 46 this season. He was also a healthy scratch for multiple games towards the end of the season.
If the Falcons do decide to sign White, though, there may be a fix. He is best-suited as a pass-rusher with his great speed, so if the Falcons use him more as a hybrid edge-rusher/linebacker role, it could do him a world of good.
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