The Falcons were given a bottom five grade.
With the dust having settled in the aftermath of free agency and the draft, we have some time to contemplate the moves made over the course of the past few months as we anxiously await another training camp late next month.
ESPN dropped a paywalled article grading each NFL team’s offseason, trying to take a comprehensive approach in looking at free agency, trades, draft picks, extensions and coaching changes.
The Falcons checked in with a C-, with ESPN analytics’ Seth Walder having the following justification for that mark:
Atlanta Falcons: C-
Biggest move: Signing QB Kirk Cousins
Move I liked: Signing Cousins … prior to drafting QB Michael Penix Jr.
Move I disliked: Drafting Penix at No. 8 overall after the Cousins deal Fully guaranteeing
Cousins $90 million is fine. Drafting Penix at No. 8 overall is fine. The same franchise doing both? Not fine.
NFL teams have hard constraints on roster-building resources with the salary cap and draft capital. Because of this, each of these moves detracts from the value of the other. Signing Cousins made sense because it allows the Falcons to take advantage of their weak division with improved quarterback play. While they didn’t have a stacked roster entering the offseason, the building blocks were there and if they hit their acquisitions in free agency and the draft just right they could be a true NFC contender with a healthy Cousins. Selecting Penix, naturally, diminished that chance.
On the flip side, the value of a quarterback on a rookie contract allows a franchise to invest in the roster around him because rookies come so cheap. But in this case, they pay a veteran QB price for Cousins in the first two years of Penix’s contract. To make the two moves together shows a lack of vision.
Atlanta’s biggest move in free agency (besides Cousins) was signing wide receiver Darnell Mooney to a deal that included $26 million fully guaranteed. It was worth it, though, given the team’s need at receiver beyond Drake London. At the time I wrote that Atlanta would likely view Mooney as a WR3 that would fit nicely along with London and a first-round instant-impact rookie. That could have come to fruition, as Rome Odunze was still on the board when Atlanta selected. Instead, they picked a player they hope won’t see the field for a couple of seasons.
The Falcons did flip quarterback Desmond Ridder for receiver Rondale Moore, but they still could use another pass-catcher for Cousins … unless tight end Kyle Pitts finally regains his 2021 rookie form.
Clearly, Walder was not a fan of utilizing the significant resources of a monster free agent contract and a top 10 draft selection on two quarterbacks and the criticism seems to be very fair given the reasoning provided
Of course, if the best case scenario the Falcons’ front office has envisioned comes to fruition, we will likely be looking back at this offseason years from now and giving it a retroactive “A” grade given that the foundation will have been laid for long term consistency and success.
Kyle Pitts having a bounceback season would also ease the concerns of the Falcons not investing more in their wide receiver room.
Overall, the Falcons were given the fourth-worst grade in this exercise and the second-worst among all NFC South teams. Only the Cowboys, Raiders and Saints (ha) checked in with lower marks.