Three free agents the Falcons should target this offseason
In 2019, the Falcons struggled to run the football and force timely stops on defense.
Whether it be because of poor offensive line performance, bland playing calling by Dirk Koetter or an aging Devonta Freeman, the Falcons finished 30th in the NFL in team rushing, failing to average over 100 yards per game on the ground.
Defensively, the Falcons finished in the middle of the pack in almost every metric. Atlanta ranked 23rd in yards allowed per play, 20th in total defense and points allowed and 19th in yards allowed and 3rd down percentage.
If defense wins championships, the Falcons have a way to go.
In either trades, free agency or the draft, there are clear holes that must be addressed in the months to come. Here are three possible free agents that could improve the Falcons should they choose to go that direction.
Joe Schobert: LB
In his fourth year with the Browns out of Wisconsin, Schoebert turned in another solid season at inside linebacker for Cleveland, collecting 133 total tackles paired with two sacks, two forced fumbles and four interceptions.
If anything, Schobert is reliable, making over 100 tackles in each of his three seasons as a full-time starter, missing just three games over that time period. In 2019, he defended nine passes, grading out with 67.6 PFF pass defense rating.
According to PFF, Schobert was the 48th best linebacker in the game this season. In the scope of PFF, he would be an upgrade over De’Vondre Campbell, the 70th rated 2019 linebacker, should the Falcons and Campbell decide to part ways during this offseason.
Though he made just over $2 million last season in the final year of his rookie deal, the former Badger will be one of the most highly pursued free agent backers this winter. If Atlanta signs him, there would likely be cuts to make cap room for a new Schobert salary.
Dante Fowler Jr.: EDGE
This move makes too much sense.
Fowler finished ninth in the league with 11.5 sacks last season, fitting a clear need for the Falcons especially now that Vic Beasley will officially not be back in Atlanta. He played for Dan Quinn during his time at Florida and has reportedly shown interest in signing with the Falcons.
His first full season with the Rams in 2019 was by far the best of his four year career that got its start when the Jaguars selected Fowler third overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. Along with double digit sacks, Fowler forced two fumbles, racked up 16 tackles for loss along with 16 quarterback hits.
He was signed to a one-year, $12 million deal last season with Los Angeles. If the Quinn-Fowler reunion will actually work out, Fowler will likely be looking for a multi-year lucrative deal given the breakout year he enjoyed in 2019.
Graham Glasgow: G/C
Rushing attacks in the NFL are built upfront. Investing in an offensive line is investing in a run game.
Glasgow is the perfect example of this type of investment the Falcons desperately need if they want to fix their woes on the ground.
In 2019, Glasgow graded out at PFF's 12th rated guard, with a strong 74.2 rating in run blocking. The most attractive aspect of Glasgow is his versatility--in four years with Detroit, the Michigan product has started games at all three interior offensive line positions. Glasgow’s ability to clear running lanes at either center or guard is key for Atlanta given injuries at the position and the increasing age of Alex Mack.
With a career-high 2019 PFF rating of 74.1, Glasgow should garner some significant attention this offseason from other suitors looking to draw his services. He made just over $2 million last season in Detroit and should get a bit of a pay bump in 2020, but he is undoubtedly the most affordable player on this list.
