Perhaps the most under-appreciated member of the Atlanta Falcons free agent class is linebacker Lorenzo Carter, who signed a one-year "prove it" deal after spending the last four seasons with the New York Giants.
The 26-year-old capped off his final year with the team in style, recording all five of his sacks during the final four games.
Nothing speaks more to Atlanta's pass rush woes than this: Carter, who had zero sacks entering Week 14, would've led the Falcons in the category by season's end. The former Georgia Bulldog was a consistent contributor in New York, with three of his four seasons featuring sack totals between four and five; the one that didn't meet the cut, 2020, saw him appear in just five games due to a ruptured Achilles.
Now back in Georgia, the 2018 third-rounder seeks to elevate his game - and the Falcons' pass rush - to another level. If Carter is able to carry over his end-of-2021 form, Atlanta is looking at another Cordarrelle Patterson-esque free agent signing.
However, even if Carter remains the same player he was in New York, his numbers should prove to be more than respectable for a complementary asset in the Falcons' defense. While Arnold Ebiketie, DeAngelo Malone and Ade Ogundeji are viewed as the team's future off the edge, Carter's stable presence still provides value considering Atlanta doesn't quite know what to expect from its young trio.
Yet, Carter's young in his own right, and if he shows his hot streak to close 2021 was simply a sign of things to come, he can more than play his way into the Falcons' long-term plans. While 2022 isn't a make-or-break year for Carter, it certainly is a fine example of a "prove it" deal, one that both he and the Falcons are hoping leads to a multi-year pairing moving forward.
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