Falcons Release OLB Dante Fowler Ahead of Free Agency

Last year, pass rusher Dante Fowler took a pay cut to remain with the Falcons, as the team sought to create cap space. On Wednesday, the team opted to release the former Florida star, making him an unrestricted free agent entering the 2022 offseason.

Fowler originally signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the team ahead of the 2020 season, after a productive stint with the Rams. His deal was restructured last offseason, voiding the ’22 year on his deal, which comes with a $4.6 million cap hit.

He finished 2021 with 36 total tackles, recording 4.5 sacks and forcing three fumbles in 14 games. He managed 7.5 total sacks in two years with the Falcons, after putting up a career-high 11.5 sacks with the Rams in ’19.

He missed three games in the middle of the 2021 season with a knee injury.

Fowler’s NFL career began in 2015 after the Jaguars took him with the No. 3 pick following back-to-back All-SEC campaigns at Florida. He tore an ACL that May, sidelining him for his entire rookie season. He was a fairly productive player for the Jaguars after his return, recording eight sacks for the team in ’17, but they declined to pick up his fifth-year option ahead of the ’18 season and traded him to the Rams during the year.

At 27, he remains a fairly high-upside player and should draw some interest when free agency opens next month.

• Falcon Report: No Calvin Ridley, So Odell Beckham Jr. Signs with Falcons? Why It Works

For more Atlanta Falcons coverage, head over to Falcon Report.