Atlanta Falcons Deemed 'Best Fit' for SI's No. 1 Free Agent

Some of the NFL's biggest moves get made during the summer, including the Atlanta Falcons signing Justin Simmons and trading for Matt Judon last season. Veteran free agents on the wrong side of 30 tend to take their time finding a new team while enjoying some downtime instead of toiling away at training camp in May and June.

Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano compiled a list of top free agents still available, and it was no surprise to see some big names. What was a little more surprising was seeing the Falcons deemed the best fit for his No. 1 available free agent, wide receiver Keenan Allen.

The 33-year-old Allen had an off year with the Chicago Bears last season, but there were some mitigating circumstances.

"Allen’s production slightly declined in his lone season with the Chicago Bears, but some of that should be attributed to Caleb Williams getting very little time to operate behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL," wrote Manzano on Sports Illustrated. "In his final season with the Chargers, Allen registered 108 catches for 1,243 yards.

"And it’s not like he fell off the cliff last season, recording 70 catches for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. Allen, 33, could help Michael Penix Jr. and Drake London in Atlanta. Unless tight end Kyle Pitts suddenly becomes a consistent target, the Falcons have a thin pass-catching group." 

The Falcons have a habit of adding players who played for the Chicago Bears. Atlanta signed Darnell Mooney as a free agent from the Bears prior to the 2024 season, and he responded with 992 yards and five touchdowns, surpassing his previous two seasons in Chicago combined.

Mooney seems to be getting little respect from pundits around the NFL as a bona fide No. 2 wide receiver. Ray-Ray McCloud also had a career-high 686 yards last season.

Combined, the Falcons' top-three wide receivers had 2,949 yards.

Allen carried a $23-million salary cap hit last season. While his days as a $20-million wide receiver might be over, he seems a luxury the Falcons can't afford in 2025 with just $5.1 million in available cap space, 30th in the league, according to Spotrac.

Like all teams, the Falcons have some flexibility to create more room, but would they do it for a 33-year-old wide receiver? Probably not.

Former Falcons' starting safety Justin Simmons also made the list at No. 8. Simmons signed last August with the Falcons after an injury to DeMarcco Hellams. Like most of Atlanta's defenders, he regressed from his 2023 form under defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake. He's looking for a bounce-back season as his career winds down.

Manzano likes the Vikings for Simmons.

"The Vikings could use another safety with Camryn Bynum now with the Indianapolis Colts and Harrison Smith possibly needing to play less in his 14th season," wrote Manzano. "It wasn’t that long ago that Simmons made three consecutive Pro Bowls for the Denver Broncos from 2021 to ’23. Simmons, 31, who had a quality lone season with the Atlanta Falcons, can help form a productive safety rotation in Minnesota with Smith, Theo Jackson and Josh Metellus."

Absent from Manzano's list of top free agents are any interior defensive linemen. If the Falcons were going to get creative with a higher-priced veteran this summer, the dollars should be spent on the defensive line. However, that well looks dry... for now.

The Falcons are athletic, light, and inexperienced, outside of David Onyemata, up front, and will be looking for big bodies this summer who become available as salary cap casualties.

Depth at wide receiver is a need for this team. Outside of the quarterback, Drake London might be the most irreplaceable player on the Falcons. That said, an expensive, veteran wide receiver isn't likely on general manager Terry Fontenot's shopping list.