The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers are set to face off in the Super Bowl next weekend, but the offseason has already begun for the other 30 NFL teams. Since the 2023 regular season ended, 25 percent of the league has changed coaches.
The Atlanta Falcons interviewed 14 different candidates before hiring Raheem Morris as the 19th head coach in franchise history. Now that Morris has assembled most of his coaching staff in Atlanta, the team can focus its energy on free agency.
The Falcons currently have over $25 million in cap space, via Over The Cap. While that’s not a ton of money to work with, there are several potential cap casualties and other contracts that can be reworked to free up even more space.
Pro Football Focus recently unveiled its top 150 free agents going into 2024. From that list, we’ve chosen five potential targets for the Falcons.
1
QB: Kirk Cousins
After a promising start in 2023, the season went south mostly due to poor quarterback play. Therefore, finding an upgrade at the position is a must in 2024. Raheem Morris and his staff will have to decide if they want to address the position in free agency or the NFL draft. Since the Falcons are slated to pick at No. 8, a franchise QB may be just out of reach without trading up. The team could opt to sign a free agent like Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The 12-year NFL veteran is set to hit the open market this offseason and would immediately upgrade Atlanta’s offense. For his career, Cousins has passed for 270 touchdowns and 110 interceptions, with a passer rating of 98.2.
2
WR: Calvin Ridley
We’re all aware of the circumstances surrounding Calvin Ridley’s departure from the Falcons, but he’s a quality No. 2 option and it would make sense for the team to target the former first-round pick. Atlanta has a budding star in Drake London, who looks like a clear No. 1 wide receiver. However, the team could use another veteran target to help this offense take off in 2024.
Ridley’s route-running ability is among the best in the league and he proved last year that he can still create separation with his quickness. In his first year back from suspension, Ridley posted 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns for the Jaguars (more than any Falcons receiver in 2023).
3
DL: Leonard Williams
The Falcons defense took a step forward last season, but their pass rush still has plenty of room for improvement. While we saw flashes here and there, Calais Campbell will be 38 next year and Grady Jarrett is coming off a torn ACL. David Onyemata needs some help up front and Leonard Williams is one possible answer.
For his career, Williams has 511 total tackles, 43.5 sacks, and 173 QB hits. It’s just a matter of how much money the Falcons are willing to spend on their defensive line since they have bigger needs elsewhere.
4
WR: Gabe Davis
Gabe Davis is a true deep threat whose electrifying speed can take the top off of opposing defenses. Similar to Ridley, he’s not a true No. 1 receiver, but Davis can be lethal as a second or third option. Davis has averaged more than 15 yards per catch over his first four seasons in the league, averaging 16 yards or more in three of those seasons. The 24-year-old still has a ton of upside and could provide another dimension to Atlanta’s offense.
5
OL: Jonah Williams
The Falcons have a good offensive line, but it’s still leaky at times in pass protection. Despite having both Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary under contract, the team has to evaluate every position and Jonah Williams is an extremely talented tackle with experience on both sides. The 26-year-old is an Atlanta native who would be a great fit if the team looks to upgrade the offensive tackle position in 2024.
