NFL exec on Falcons free agency: 'Swapping average for average'

The Falcons didn’t come into the offseason with much cap space. They actually had to make some difficult decisions just to get out of the red, like cutting Grady Jarrett after the two sides couldn’t come together on a new deal.

Those are the consequences of signing the most expensive free agent in the NFL last offseason, then turning around and spending your most valuable draft pick on the same position.

The Falcons added Leonard Floyd on a one-year, $10 million deal. The team also inked Mike Hughes to the largest deal of the offseason, a $18 million contract over three years. He is joined by Jordan Fuller and Divine Deablo.

It didn’t move many Falcons fans, and that’s the sentiment league executives took away as well. One told Mike Sando of The Athletic that it’s basically the same crop of free agents the team signed last offseason (outside of Kirk Cousins).

“I don’t know that they got any better,” one exec said. “It boils down to Michael Penix and whether he is the guy.”

As currently constructed, the Falcons roster isn’t better than last year. Of course, that doesn’t include the 2025 draft class, but there’s really no track record under Terry Fontenot where a rookie class comes in and immediately provides an impact.

The Falcons’ season hinges on Michael Penix Jr. hitting the ground running, which is almost unfair to expect of a rookie quarterback. No, he’s not technically a rookie, but he’s started three games. Sitting on the pine behind Kirk Cousins prepared him for certain situations; however, nothing can replicate live bullets flying at you.

What I thought was a perfect expression was another exec calling the Falcons’ moves “swapping average for average” but with one benefit: “Floyd’s familiarity with Falcons coach Raheem Morris from their time together on the Rams. Floyd, now on his fourth team in four seasons, has at least 8.5 sacks in each of the past five seasons. Myles Garrett is the only other player riding a streak that long.”

The Falcons haven’t had a player reach double-digit sacks since Vic Beasley in 2016 and haven’t had anyone reach the 8.5 sack mark since Adrian Clayborn in 2017, four of which came in one game against the Cowboys. If Floyd can continue his stretch of at least 8.5 sacks in a season, it would be a revelation in Atlanta.