Atlanta Falcons Have An Opportunity For A Big Splash This Offseason
By Kyle Edmond
The NFC South is up for grabs and the Atlanta Falcons have the assets to make the moves necessary to put them as the favorite for win the division.
The news of Tom Brady’s retirement shifted the outlook for the NFC South. Without Brady, none of the four teams have a long-term plan at quarterback. However, the Atlanta Falcons have the necessary assets available to them this offseason to change that and make them the favorites before the 2023 season begins.
The Atlanta Falcons went 7-10 this season and currently hold the eighth selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. That doesn’t exactly spell out a team on the cusp of winning the division, but it helps that the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints finished with the same record and the division-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers were only a win better at 8-9.
The reality for Atlanta is that they might in the driver’s seat for the future of the division. Tampa Bay in entering a tough stretch with no quarterback and less cap space. New Orleans is in a similar situation. New Orleans is last for remaining cap space in the NFL entering the offseason and Tampa Bay is 31st. As for the Carolina Panthers, they are 21st.
Now, the Atlanta Falcons are in a much different place. According to spotrac.com, the Falcons have the second-highest available cap space for the upcoming offseason, over $50 million, and could save an additional $12 million by cutting Marcus Mariota. On top of that, Atlanta has young weapons already on their roster with Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Plus, Tyler Allgeier showed promise late in the season.
The Falcons also enter this year’s draft with eight picks. They have two in the fourth and two in the seventh, but don’t have a sixth according to Tankathon. By pairing their cap space and draft picks, the Atlanta Falcons could make a big splash this offseason and immediately place themselves as the favorite in the NFC South in 2023.