Falcons Offseason ‘Pivotal’? GM Terry Fontenot Explains
LAS VEGAS -- Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot have put up a pair of 7-10 campaigns in their first two years at the helm – but are staring down a prime opportunity to take significant strides this offseason.
Armed with a roster that features more players age 26 or younger than anybody else in the NFL, the second-most cap space to spend and the No. 8 overall draft pick, the amount of resources at the duo’s disposal is night-and-day from years past.
As a result, this offseason could be the deciding factor in whether Smith and Fontenot’s tenure in Atlanta is a fruitful one … or a stretch of uncapitalized potential.
But is the offseason “pivotal” for the decision makers? Fontenot weighed in when speaking with reporters ahead of the East-West Shrine Bowl.
“I think every offseason is pivotal,” Fontenot said. “I think every day you come in the building is pivotal. The first offseason we had here was critical. And obviously we had a different level of resources the first year, the second year and now this year, so I understand the question. But yet, you have to look at every offseason that (it) is critical, and you're going to do the best you can to improve this football team.”
In essence, Fontenot took the diplomatic approach – but noting that Atlanta has a “different level of resources” indicates he’s well aware of the opportunity that lays ahead.
Fontenot has proven his ability to maximize resources, adding players like running back Cordarrelle Patterson and inside linebacker Rashaan Evans on cheap free agency deals while drafting players such as running back Tyler Allgeier, return specialist and offensive weapon Avery Williams and defensive tackle Ta’Quon Graham all in the fifth round.
But in the process of value shopping, Fontenot has also shown that he can deliver with quality resources.
In his first draft, the former New Orleans Saints pro personnel director selected tight end Kyle Pitts … who had the second-most yards by a rookie at the position in league history en route to a Pro Bowl nod. In draft No. 2, Fontenot took receiver Drake London – who broke the franchise record for receptions by a rookie … set the year prior by Pitts.
Now, between substantial cap space that currently sits at $56 million and another top-10 draft pick, the ball is firmly in Fontenot’s court to take Atlanta to a different level. It’s a key reason as to why this offseason is viewed as such a big one for his tenure and the organization’s future moving forward.
Fontenot added that even with the increased resources, he’ll remain disciplined and focus on adding the right type of people to the culture that he believes is already “very strong.”
As such, it sets up for an integral stretch – which, per Fontenot, is only just getting started.
“We're continuing to go through the process,” said Fontenot. “We've spent a lot of time - we've met with the personnel staff, the coaching staff, and it's an ongoing process. So, we’ll continue to do it, and really quickly here, we're going to be getting into free agency and draft meetings. And so, we're going through it while we do everything else.”
Weeks ago, Smith mentioned that Atlanta had entered the past two free agency periods without a “strategy,” largely waiting until the second and third waves to make a move as the money simply wasn’t there to compete for big-named players.
Thus, the free agency meetings Fontenot referenced carry significant weight – what kind of “strategy” will be put together? Where will the focus be? Will the Falcons prioritize one position and save the other for the draft?
All of these questions will be answered in the coming months … but the level of success to which they’re carried out will permeate through the walls of Falcons headquarters for years to come.
And that, by all accounts, is “pivotal” – just not necessarily any more than years prior, at least in the eyes of Atlanta’s top decision maker.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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