Atlanta Falcons Free Agent Could be an Ideal Fit for the San Francisco 49ers

With the Super Bowl officially over, the NFL offseason has begun and one of the most anticipated portions of these next few months is free agency, where players who have an expiring contract are freely able to sign with other teams or run it back with their original squads.

One player who will be among the many who are expected to declare for free agency is former Stanford and current Atlanta Falcons center, Drew Dalman.

Dalman, who played out the final season of a four-year rookie deal that he signed after the Falcons selected him in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, could be a hot name in the market this offseason, with some teams in need of a potential upgrade at center. Among those teams are the San Francisco 49ers, who could be in the market for a new starting center.

With starter Jake Brendel struggling this season, grading out in the bottom half of the league at his position, center suddenly becomes a position that the Niners may need to take a long hard look at.

While primarily a run-first team, the 49ers have started to become even more balanced with the passing game in recent years, with quarterback Brock Purdy taking on a bigger role in the offense over the last couple of years.

Because of that, the Niners will most likely want to go after linemen who are dominant in pass blocking. Brendel, who is a strong run blocker but inconsistent as a pass blocker, received a pass block grade of 55.1 on Pro Football Focus, which was No. 51 out of 64 NFL centers. Dalman, on the otherhand, received a grade of 66.6 which was 22 out of 64.

Purdy will most likely receive a hefty contract extension this offseason, given that his rookie deal expires after 2025, meaning that the 49ers will need to do whatever they can to set Purdy up for success so that he can live up to that contract.

Injuries didn't do Purdy any favors, with star running back Christian McCaffrey, another Stanford legend, and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk missing most of the season among others big losses to the roster. But with even stronger pass protection, Purdy could get more time to make things happen while missing key players.

Dalman also has family ties to the 49ers. The son of former NFL and Stanford star Chris Dalman, Drew could keep the family legacy going if he were to sign with San Francisco. Chris played at Stanford from 1988-1991 before getting drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round of the 1993 draft. Playing for the franchise from 1993-2000, Chris won Super Bowl XXIX in 1994 as the starting center of the last San Francisco team to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

What Dalman decides to do is still to be determined, but whatever decision he makes will be an important one, as it could possibly dictate how the next few seasons of his career go. It is now only a matter of time before the decision is made.