Three pending free agents playing in Super Bowl LIV the Atlanta Falcons could target

A look at some of the guys in the big game that could be targeted by Atlanta.

The Atlanta Falcons are on a budget this offseason. Monstrous long-term contracts for players such as Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Grady Jarrett, Jake Matthews and Devonta Freeman leave the club with just over $5 million in cap space heading into the offseason.

In other words, Arthur Blank and the front office have their hands tied when it comes to free agency in the months to come.

Despite these limitations, Blank vowed to reporters this week that his team “will make the changes, the evaluations, and the roster moves we need to make” in order to return to the Super Bowl in 2021.

How exactly Atlanta chooses to go about this is yet to be seen. Should the Falcons choose to invest in the free agent market, could there be players battling for the Lombardi Trophy today that may be in a Falcons uniform next season?

There are some obvious choices that would significantly fill the holes on this roster. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead, who has racked up 10 sacks this season, is set to hit the market this offseason. So is Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive tackle Chris Jones.

The problem is that these game-changing defenders will come at a price.

So here’s a look at three affordable pending free agents playing in today’s Super Bowl the Falcons could try to sign this offseason.

Bashaud Breeland, Kansas City Chiefs CB: 

Breeland is by no means a household name, but the 28-year old defensive back out of Clemson could give Atlanta a better chance to slow down prolific NFC offenses. In his first year in Kansas City, Breeland made 48 tackles to go along with a pair of interceptions as he has made his way into the starting lineup, taking 78 percent of Kansas City’s defensive snaps.

With the Falcons needing to bolster the back end of their defense to make up for shaky play by younger players, Breeland would be an upgrade coverage-wise. He allowed 3.9 targets per game throughout the 2019 season while receivers caught just 33 balls against Breeland all year-- only eight other NFL corners were stingier in that regard.

In his one-year deal with the Chiefs, Breeland made just $2 million. Though he is expected to receive a pay bump after a solid season, he is an under-the-radar type of defender that could be the perfect fit for the Falcons as they try to upgrade in a cost-efficient manner.

Reggie Ragland, Kansas City Chiefs LB:

Though he has had a disappointing season, Ragland could be a nice compliment to Deion Jones in the second level of the Falcons’ defense, especially if De'Vondre Campbell doesn’t re-sign in Atlanta.

Ragland is a player who came into the NFL with high expectations as a solid run defender out of Alabama, but was traded to Kansas City from Buffalo before his rookie season even began. Unable to truly get his footing with the Chiefs thanks to a torn ACL and schematic shifts, Ragland is in need of a change of scenery where his upside can be realized.

Atlanta may just be that place. He isn’t an automatic starter at linebacker, but Ragland will make sense financially and remains talented. For a low-risk situation, it’s worth a one-year deal to see if he could finally break out on a different team.

Jimmie Ward, San Francisco 49ers S: 

Of the three players listed, Ward is the biggest financial stretch for good reason.

Though Richard Sherman and Nick Bosa receive the majority of the praise for anchoring arguably the NFL’s best defense, Ward is the glue that holds the 49ers together. Though he has been plagued by injuries this season and throughout his career, in the 13 games Ward played this season, he racked up 65 total tackles to go along with one sack.

Ward can double as a lockdown slot coverage guy and a physical thumper in the run game. The sixth year player out of Northern Illinois recorded the third most pass break-ups among safeties this year and only whiffed on four tackles all year.

The Swiss army knife of the Niners’ will not be cheap. He has spent his entire career in San Francisco, so it is unlikely that the 49ers let him out of their reach. If Ward does decide to test the market, the Falcons might be hard pressed to come up with the funds to lure his services.

Atlanta is unlikely to outbid anyone this offseason, but if the front office can find creative ways to clear cap space, the Falcons will have a bit more room to bring in a higher profile contributor like Ward.