Brian Hill receives original-round tender from Atlanta

One day after cutting Devonta Freeman, the Atlanta Falcons are trying to keep their other running backs around. They placed a tender on restricted free agent Brian Hill, who could battle for the starting job this summer.

The Atlanta Falcons attempted to keep some stability at the running back position Tuesday.

A day after waving goodbye to longtime starter Devonta Freeman, they placed an original-round tender on backup Brian Hill.

Hill enters free agency as a restricted free agent tomorrow. Now, after Atlanta tendered him, the Falcons will receive a fifth-round pick if Hill walks. They also have the option to match any contract offer Hill signs with another franchise.

Filling in for Freeman, Hill put up the most productive season of his career in 2019. He carried the ball 78 times for 323 yards and scored his first two NFL touchdowns. He also provided another receiving target out of the backfield, grabbing 10 catches for 69 yards.

Hill, 24, attended the University of Wyoming and recorded huge numbers from 2015 through 2017. In his junior year, his last before heading to the NFL, Hill ran for 1,860 yards and 22 touchdowns.

He was drafted by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

In November of his rookie season, he was signed off Atlanta’s practice squad by the Cincinnati Bengals. The Falcons re-signed him less than a year later, and he’s remained with them since.

If Atlanta goes into this summer’s training camp without any positional changes, Hill will battle Ito Smith and Qadree Ollison for the starting running back job. All three options are talented but relatively unproven as professions. Because of that, the Falcons could rotate them as part of a committee or simply look to bring in another option via the draft or free agency.