Falcons WRs Darnell Mooney, Rondale Moore 'As Advertised' in OTAs

Atlanta Falcons receivers Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore have garnered early praise.

The Atlanta Falcons added a pair of receivers in former Chicago Bears standout Darnell Mooney and Arizona Cardinals weapon Rondale Moore. / USA Today / AllFalcons on SI

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- On Feb. 15, Ike Hilliard spoke for the first time since becoming the Atlanta Falcons' receivers coach on Raheem Morris's new staff.

Hilliard had been hired just two weeks prior, but he already had a vision for how he hoped his room would look by the end of the offseason: more explosive.

At the time, the Falcons had only one wideout on the roster - Drake London - who made any receptions last season. So, Atlanta's coaching staff and player personnel department went to work, understanding the nuances the new coaches want and the methods with which to add pieces.

Darnell Mooney was the first big domino to fall, with the former Chicago Bears standout signing a three-year, $39 million contract March 15. The Falcons followed by signing ex San Francisco 49ers receiver and special teams ace Ray-Ray McCloud and acquiring slot playmaker Rondale Moore in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals.

Atlanta added several others throughout the spring, including a reunion with veteran KhaDarel Hodge and the sixth-round selection of Casey Washington in the NFL Draft.

Mission accomplished for Hilliard? Reflecting on the three months that sat between that mid-February afternoon and May 22 in Flowery Branch, the former 10-year NFL pass catcher believes so - especially with the value of having four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins under center.

"I think with only having Drake under contract, we knew that adding guys like Mooney and Rondale Moore was important," Hilliard said. "Adding Ray-Ray (and) grooming some of the younger guys we added to our room was a big deal for us because we have a quarterback who's pretty much seen it all."

Mooney and Moore were the first two Hilliard mentioned, and for good reason - they're perhaps the two shiniest toys the Falcons added to their receiving corps this spring.

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The 26-year-old Mooney went from fifth-round pick to 1,000-yard receiver in just two years with the Bears but hit a wall over his final two campaigns, making 71 catches for 907 yards and three touchdowns across 27 games, starting all but one.

Inconsistency around him was often cited as an issue, and he missed seven games due to injuries during that time. But the player who emerged as a go-to target in 2021 due to his separation, versatility and speed still has those traits in his arsenal, Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot said at the league owners meetings in March.

And Hilliard, who's five OTA sessions and a plethora of meetings into his time with Mooney, feels similarly convicted in what's to come.

"He's everything that's been advertised for," Hilliard said Wednesday. "We know, personally, how good he is. Whether the world knows that or not, we're looking forward to him reintroducing himself to everybody that's out there because that guy's extremely talented."

The Falcons have two full-length outdoor practice fields at IBM Performance Facility. Late in OTA sessions, while special teams drills and occasional installs take place on one field, a small group plays catch on the other.

It's Cousins, London, tight end Kyle Pitts ... and Mooney, who's been thrust into the sacred company of Atlanta's leaders in targets and receptions from last season and appears poised to join them in that category this fall.

Moore, who was acquired in the Desmond Ridder trade, wasn't involved with the group, but he also didn't participate in practice this week after suffering a hamstring injury the week before. Hilliard said he hates the Falcons have lost Moore for now, but Morris didn't seem concerned Tuesday about any long-term injuries on the roster.

Nevertheless, internal optimism surrounds Moore, who Morris said "drove me nuts" trying to game plan against him for the past three years.

The 5-7, 181-pound Moore had the least productive receiving year of his career in 2023, hauling in 40 receptions for 352 yards and a score. However, he had his best campaign on the ground, totaling 178 yards and a touchdown on 28 attempts.

Fontenot and Morris are excited by Moore's speed and the variety of ways he can be utilized by offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.

As for Hilliard, perhaps no player better embodies his initial offseason goal than Moore, who clocked a 4.29 40-yard dash at Purdue's pro day in 2021.

"We wanted to get faster," Hilliard said. "Rondale might be one of the faster humans in the National Football League. We just need him to continue to grow and progress in this offense - that'll be huge for all of us, just so he can establish himself and carve out a role that is significant to what we try to put on tape."

During his three-year run as Falcons head coach, Arthur Smith often searched for more avenues of creating big plays. Morris, Robinson, Hilliard and the rest of Atlanta's staff wasted little time trying to find solutions in their first spring acquisition period.

But speed doesn't just help with taking the top off defenses. Moore and Mooney were each praised for their separation, and the quicker they get open, the less time the offensive line has to block and the more anticipatory Cousins can be.

The story surrounding Atlanta's offense this spring has been quarterbacks, be it Cousins or first-round pick Michael Penix. When weapons are mentioned, London, Pitts or running back Bijan Robinson often dominate the conversation.

Quarterback play is paramount to success and a central reason why Smith didn't get a fourth year. There's palpable internal buzz surrounding Cousins, and the same is true for the trio of playmakers drafted in the top-10.

Yet for the Falcons to maximize their true potential offensively, secondary playmakers like Mooney and Moore need to deliver - but one blink and you may miss them.

"I think the faster things happen and the faster that (Cousins) can process it and get the ball where it needs to go, we become a better offense," Hilliard said. "If we can be efficient with that and consistent with that, we're going to put a lot of pressure on defenses."

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