Money Well Spent: Falcons 3 Best Contracts
When general manager Terry Fontenot was hired by the Atlanta Falcons in January 2021, he took over a team that was severely limited financially.
The previous regime, led by general manager Thomas Dimitroff, handed out several large contracts that didn't all pan out in the manner they had hoped.
As a result, Fontenot has been forced to bargain shop during his first two off-seasons. By all accounts, he's done a good job of maximizing the cards he was dealt. Looking ahead to 2023, the Falcons will have over $30 million to spend, and that number could increase even more if linebacker Deion Jones and quarterback Marcus Mariota aren't on the roster.
A large part of Atlanta's projected cap space stems from having impact players on rookie deals, though Fontenot has also maneuvered several team-friendly deals. Among all of the good contracts, three stick out the most.
A.J. Terrell, Cornerback
Terrell was Dimitroff's final first-round draft pick in Atlanta, and the selection continues to look better and better by the day. Terrell was named second team All-Pro last season and has established himself as one of the top corners in the NFL.
Per OverTheCap, Terrell's 2022 cap hit is just $3.9 million, which ranks 40th among corners. Therefore, the Falcons are paying one of the position's elite players a price much lower than his impact.
Perhaps even better for Fontenot and company is that Terrell is just starting year three of his rookie contract. His cap number next season will be slightly higher at $4.5 million, but still significantly lower than a player of his caliber deserves.
For now, he's on an incredibly team-friendly deal, and provides the Falcons with additional cap flexibility. However, sooner rather than later, Terrell will receive a well-deserved payday, assuming he retains this level of performance.
Rashaan Evans, Linebacker
Nobody was happier than Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees when the Tennessee Titans declined Evans' fifth-year option on his rookie contract last offseason. Considering the level of production Evans provided when last paired with Pees, it's easy to see why.
Then a second-year linebacker, Evans started all 16 games in 2019 and totaled 111 tackles en route to an appearance in the AFC Championship. While Evans racked up 96 and 57 tackles, respectively, in the two seasons after Pees left, Tennessee didn't see enough to retain the 26-year-old Alabama product.
Enter Fontenot, who offered Evans a chance to jumpstart his career by re-uniting him with Pees. Evans will carry a $1.6 million cap hit in 2022, a low number considering the numbers he has a chance to produce.
While Evans is on a one-year "prove it" deal, his past success with Pees certainly inspires confidence that he can outplay his salary.
Isaiah Oliver, Cornerback
Fontenot made Pees an incredibly happy man this offseason, as Atlanta's veteran coach made it clear how much his defense missed Oliver last season. According to Pees, having to play multiple nickels after Oliver went down with a knee injury gave away some of his plans, be it blitz or coverage related.
While Oliver still isn't fully recovered, he's expected to play a big role this fall. Falcons coach Arthur Smith stated that no one was out-working Oliver, and referenced that his versatility will be a valuable asset for Pees' defense.
Due to the uncertain nature of players coming off of knee injuries, Oliver didn't receive the money potentially headed his way after getting off to a hot start in the slot. Oliver's base salary is $2.3 million, and he carries cap hit of just over $1 million.
For a player likely to play an integral role in Atlanta's defense, if not start, Oliver is a bargain at that price.
Few expected running back Cordarrelle Patterson to play at the level he did last season, but his versatility, character, and playmaking abilities matched perfectly with Smith. Scheme fit and experience has proven to be invaluable to the new regime, and there are a lot of new additions who check both boxes.
With Fontenot largely signing veterans to one-year deals worth somewhere in the $1 million range, it's likely there will be several hits from this off-season's free agency class who will vie to make this list come season's end.
