ESPN blasts Falcons for their free agency class

The Falcons were surprisingly quiet during the rush of NFL free agency, making a few minor moves on the defensive side of the ball but nothing that will significantly change the team’s outlook heading into the 2025 season.

Leonard Floyd was the headline signing, if you can even call him that. He’s been a more than solid pass rusher over the last half-decade for various teams and had a lot of success with Falcons head coach Raheem Morris when he was the defensive coordinator for the Rams. However, Floyd has never been a guy that can carry a team’s pass rush, which the Falcons need, and that’s not going to change as he enters his age 33 season.

Morgan Fox also adds some depth across the defensive front. Divine Deablo is an intriguing high upside play in the second level, and Mike Hughes on a three-year, $18 million contract could turn out to be a steal if he continues his play from 2024. However, after losing Grady Jarrett and Drew Dalman in free agency, it’s impossible to say conclusively the Falcons are in a better position to compete in 2025 than they were in 2024.

Ben Solak of ESPN recently ranked the top free agent classes of the offseason from 1-32, and for Falcons fans hoping their team might finally be ready to make the leap to contender status, it serves as a harsh dose of reality. 

32. Atlanta Falcons

Key acquisitions and returning players: Edge Leonard Floyd, CB Mike Hughes, LB Divine Deablo, Edge Morgan Fox, S Jordan Fuller

I loved: Pretty much nothing.

I didn’t love: Pretty much everything. The Falcons walked into this cycle with a preposterously little amount of cap space for a team that hasn’t appeared in the playoffs for the past seven seasons. But what they spent on doesn’t move the needle. Floyd is a Raheem Morris retread and lacks the pass-rush juice to save an anemic front four in Atlanta. Fox was once a handy player, but is a few years beyond his prime. Deablo probably will not break the starting lineup behind Troy Andersen and Kaden Elliss. Fuller, another Morris retread, will have the same athletic limitations Justin Simmons did in 2024.

Almost all of the Falcons’ money was spent on defense, and they did nothing but tread water.

I’m not sure I could have said it better myself. For a general manager that should be on the hot seat, this wasn’t the kind of free agent class many were expecting.

If Leonard Floyd doesn’t get some help, he’ll be the latest offseason acquisition to severely underperform expectations, and Morgan Fox is a rotational piece at best. The defensive line is once again in putrid shape heading into the NFL draft.

The outlook in the second-level is certainly better with Divine Deablo, but I’m not sure handing a two-year, $14 million contract to a third linebacker was necessary, given the Falcons limited cap space entering the offseason.

Mike Hughes is about the only signing I can get behind, but even he leaves a bit to be desired. Jordan Fuller might end up replacing Justin Simmons, but nobody should be excited about the prospect of that.

The Falcons clearly understand where their needs lie, spending nearly all of their money on defense, but it’s unlikely any of these acquisitions move the needle. Unless Terry Fontenot absolutely nails the draft, this is a team that will likely miss the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.