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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons Sign OL Jonotthan Harrison, Cut RB Jeremy McNichols

June 17th, 2022 at 2:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jonotthan Harrison‘s Atlanta stopover for Falcons minicamp this week produced an agreement. The veteran offensive lineman signed with the Falcons following his minicamp audition.

In addition to signing Harrison, the Falcons added defensive lineman Jalen Dalton. To make room on their 90-man offseason roster, the Falcons released running back Jeremy McNichols and waived wide receiver Austin Trammell.

Although Harrison has been in the NFL since 2014, he has not played in a regular-season game in three years. The former Colts and Jets starting center has spent the past two years bouncing on and off the Giants’ practice squad. Harrison, 30, caught on with the Giants in 2020 but did not play in a game for the team. The former UDFA has started 42 regular-season, including 10 as a rookie for a Colts team that ventured to the AFC championship game and 10 in 2019 with the Jets.

The Falcons signed McNichols earlier this offseason. The rebuilding NFC South squad does not feature much in the way of high-level investments in the backfield, but it did use a fifth-round pick on BYU’s Tyler Allgeier and sign Damien Williams earlier this offseason. Also re-signed, Cordarrelle Patterson is expected to begin the season as the team’s starter.

McNichols, 26, played in 30 Titans games over the past two seasons. He received a look to be the team’s primary Derrick Henry replacement last season, but that role ended up going primarily to D’Onta Foreman.

A former Bears UDFA in 2019, Dalton has not played in a regular-season game. He joined Harrison at this week’s tryout. Trammell, who caught on with the Falcons as a 2021 UDFA, played in two games for the team last season.

Deshaun Watson’s Decision Swayed Jadeveon Clowney’s Free Agency Choice

June 16th, 2022 at 1:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns acquiring Deshaun Watson via trade has become one of the most controversial moves in modern NFL history. The talented quarterback’s off-field issues have intensified since he chose Cleveland as his trade destination, but that choice did go a long way toward bringing Myles Garrett‘s 2021 edge-rushing sidekick back.

Jadeveon Clowney said Thursday that Watson’s decision made a significant impact on his own, indicating (via 92.3 The Fan’s Anthony Lima; video link) he would probably have joined the Falcons had Watson selected Atlanta as his next team. Prior to Clowney’s team-hopping run of recent years, he and Watson were Texans teammates from 2017-18.

Clowney and Watson spoke during the QB’s four-team trade sweepstakes, and Jake Trotter of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) Clowney gave Cleveland a strong endorsement. While the $230MM guaranteed the Browns came back to the table with provided the clincher for the embattled passer, Clowney offering Browns praise provides some breadcrumbs ahead of the defensive end’s own decision.

“We stayed in touch through that whole thing about coming here,” Clowney said, via Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. “If he come, then I come. I told him if he goes, I’ll follow him up here. I’ll go back. That’s what it came down to.”

A late-March report indicated Watson spoke with Jarvis Landry and Leonard Fournette about potentially playing together with the Falcons. Browns GM Andrew Berry‘s idea to fully guarantee Watson’s contract changed those plans, and the Falcons — who traded Matt Ryan shortly after Watson was dealt to the Browns — have shifted toward a full-scale rebuild.

Cleveland re-signed Clowney on a one-year, $10MM deal that features $9.25MM fully guaranteed. Garrett lobbied extensively to bring Clowney back. That stands to help the Browns’ defense, though the one-year commitment is interesting in this case. While Clowney’s injury history has damaged his hopes of scoring a long-term deal, Watson factoring into his free agency choice this year may provide a letdown. With the sixth-year veteran QB facing 24 civil lawsuits and counting, a lengthy suspension is expected. This Browns season stands to feature an extensive stretch in which Watson is away from the team, leading to Jacoby Brissett being favored to take many of the team’s snaps this year.

Watson potentially being ticketed to play a full season in 2023 could again influence Clowney’s next commitment. The injury-prone former No. 1 overall pick played 14 games last season, recording nine sacks. Another healthy season would increase Clowney’s market value in 2023, should he not sign a Browns extension before the next league year begins.

Falcons Worked Out C Jonotthan Harrison

June 15th, 2022 at 8:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons are eyeing an experienced lineman. The team worked out center Jonotthan Harrison yesterday, according to Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter).

Harrison went undrafted out of Florida in 2014, but he immediately found himself in the Colts lineup. He started 10 of his 15 appearances as a rookie, and he ultimately saw time in 44 games (23 starts) across three seasons with the organization. He got into 40 games (19 starts) with the Jets between the 2017 and 2019 seasons.

The 30-year-old hasn’t made an NFL appearance since that 2019 campaign. He was released by the Jets prior to the 2020 season, and he spent the majority of that year on the Bills practice squad. He spent the beginning of the 2021 campaign on the Giants practice squad before an Achilles injury landed him on IR.

Another notable player who worked out for Atlanta was defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs. The 2019 sixth-round pick spent the first three seasons of his career with the Steelers, seeing time in 29 games. 2021 was his most productive season as a professional, as he started six of his 10 appearances while collecting 17 tackles.

Harrison and Buggs joined a list of tryout players that also included linebacker Dakota Allen, offensive lineman Adam Coon, defensive lineman Jalen Dalton, and wideout Emeka Emezie.

Ravens Host DE Steven Means

June 15th, 2022 at 12:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens may be bringing back a familiar face soon. The team has worked out veteran defensive end Steven Means amongst its tryout invites, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Athletic (Twitter link). 

[RELATED: Ravens Reach Injury Settlement With D. Wolfe]

Means found himself on Baltimore’s practice squad not long after he was released by the Buccaneers, who had drafted him in the fifth round one year earlier. He didn’t see much playing time with the Ravens, however, eventually being signed by the Eagles in 2015.

Despite his limited role the following season, Philadelphia extended Means just before the 2017 campaign began. He still played primarily on special teams that year, though; it wasn’t until he joined the Falcons that he saw the field more often. His playing time shifted further towards defensive snaps starting in 2018, when he registered four starts, 14 tackles and one sack.

That led to optimism for his 2019 season, but an Achilles injury sidelined him until the following year. Over the past two campaigns, he has become a starter, racking up 81 stops, eight QB hits and three sacks (half of his career total) over that span. In an effort to boost their league-worst pass rush, however, the Falcons have turned to a number of younger options in the edge department this offseason.

Means, 31, would represent another veteran along the Ravens’ defensive front. The team already has the likes of Calais Campbell, Michael Pierce and Brent Urban on the d-line, but experience is lacking in their pass-rushing room. Baltimore hosted Jason Pierre-Paul last week, signalling their interest in a veteran at that position. In the absence of Derek Wolfe, Means could represent a less expensive option to fill that void.

Falcons Denied Kyle Smith Permission To Interview For Bills’ Assistant GM Job

June 8th, 2022 at 10:32am CST by Sam Robinson

Brian Gaine ended up replacing Joe Schoen as the Bills’ assistant general manager, but the team did interview outside candidates. Buffalo attempted to meet with another, according to Brandon Beane, but was denied the opportunity.

The Bills identified Falcons vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith as a candidate for their assistant GM post, according to ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein (on Twitter). The Falcons denied Smith permission to meet with the Bills, leading to Gaine’s promotion.

While Gaine may well have been promoted regardless of Smith’s availability, the Falcons used an NFL rule to ensure Terry Fontenot‘s top lieutenant remained in Atlanta. Since Smith is classified as Fontenot’s second-in-command, Buffalo’s assistant GM gig was considered a lateral move. That opened the door for the Falcons to block the Bills from meeting with the western New York native.

The Falcons hired Smith shortly after Fontenot took over last year. He had previously spent several years with Washington, finishing out his time there as the team’s VP of player personnel. The young exec ran multiple drafts for the team, which was without a traditional GM for a stretch, but left ahead of Ron Rivera‘s second year in the nation’s capital.

Buffalo now has Gaine, Terrance Gray and Matt Bazirgan positioned in high-ranking posts under Beane, who has lost a few top staffers over the past two offseasons. The Giants hired Schoen as their GM, and Schoen took ex-Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey with him. Buffalo lost Dan Morgan last year, when he became Carolina’s assistant GM. The Bills interviewed former Steelers staffer Brandon Hunt for the assistant GM job this year, but he is now with the Eagles, joining a team that lost four staffers to assistant GM roles this year.

Falcons Work Out QB Drew Plitt

June 3rd, 2022 at 3:04pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • The Falcons worked out multiyear Ball State starter Drew Plitt this week, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Plitt worked as the Mid-American Conference program’s primary starter from 2019-21, piecing together a 59-19 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio in that time. The Falcons have 2021 UDFA Feleipe Franks as their third QB currently, alongside Marcus Mariota and third-rounder Desmond Ridder.

49ers C Alex Mack To Retire

June 2nd, 2022 at 1:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a lengthy stretch of contemplation about retirement or playing a 14th season, Alex Mack looks to have decided on the former. The decorated center is set to retire, Michael Silver of Bally Sports reports (on Twitter).

This will cap Mack’s 49ers tenure at one year and give the team another interior offensive lineman to replace. Mack started all 20 49ers games last season, rejoining Kyle Shanahan after the two previously linked up in Atlanta and Cleveland. Joining Ryan Fitzpatrick as a Thursday retiree, Mack finishes his career as a seven-time Pro Bowler.

Mack’s seven Pro Bowls are tied for sixth all time among pure centers, and although the Pro Bowl alternate era factors into this count, that number ranks behind only Maurkice Pouncey and Hall of Famers Jim Otto, Jim Ringo, Mike Webster and Kevin Mawae. Mack joined Pouncey on the 2010s’ All-Decade team at center.

The 49ers have had extensive time to prepare for this outcome and gained around $4MM in cap room Thursday by reducing Mack’s contract and moving $500K up to a June 2022 payment. Mack, 36, signed a three-year deal worth $14.85MM in 2021. That telling transaction will allow the 49ers more flexibility to potentially sign a Mack replacement, though Jimmy Garoppolo‘s $26.9MM cap hold has clogged San Francisco’s payroll for a while. It does not look like that lofty figure will come off San Francisco’s books in the near future, and the team entered Thursday ranking 31st in cap space. Mack’s adjustment still stands to help.

The Browns drafted Mack in the 2009 first round, and he delivered three Pro Bowl seasons in six Cleveland years. The Cal alum enjoyed an interesting offseason in 2014, when the Browns transition-tagged him and Jaguars submitted an offer sheet. The Browns matched the five-year, $42MM offer, but that deal gave Mack the right to opt out after two seasons. He did, doing so in 2016 en route to rejoining Shanahan — his Browns OC in 2014 — with in Atlanta. The Falcons handed Mack a five-year, $45MM deal, giving Matt Ryan a quality center ahead of a key season.

Atlanta’s Shanahan-conducted 2016 offense scored 540 points, which still ranks eighth in NFL history. Mack earned the second of his three second-team All-Pro nods, helping Ryan claim MVP honors. This season ended infamously in Super Bowl LI, but Mack made the Pro Bowl in his first three Falcons campaigns. He only missed two games during his Falcons years, playing out that five-year accord ahead of his return to the Bay Area. Mack earned his seventh Pro Bowl invite, albeit as an alternate, for his 49ers work.

Mack’s arrival helped the NFC West squad, which saw a severe Weston Richburg injury alter its center plans previously. This marks another belated retirement announcement on the 49ers’ O-line, which lost Joe Staley to an April 2020 retirement. The team responded by trading for Trent Williams. If the 49ers have a similar mindset two years later, some experienced snappers are available.

NFLPA president J.C. Tretter remains on the market, after the Browns made their five-year center a cap casualty in March. Former Broncos and Panthers starter Matt Paradis is also a free agent, with ex-Bengals starter Trey Hopkins and former Texans pivot Nick Martin available as well. The 49ers, who lost five-year left guard Laken Tomlinson in free agency, have some young internal options. None resides in the experience ballpark compared to the aforementioned UFA contingent.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/1/22

June 1st, 2022 at 9:43pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: DE Drew Jackson

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: WR Juwan Green
  • Waived: TE Ryan Izzo

Falcons Convert Avery Williams To Running Back

May 29th, 2022 at 9:26am CST by Rory Parks

The Falcons selected Avery Williams, a Boise State cornerback, in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. In his rookie campaign, Williams appeared in 121 defensive snaps but factored more prominently into Atlanta’s ST unit, as he was on the field for 73% of the club’s third team snaps. That included considerable time as a return specialist, as he handled 20 punts and 23 kickoffs.

Neither his limited run as a defensive back (11 completions allowed on 14 targets) nor his efforts as a return man (7.7 yards per return on punts, 21.3 yards per return on kickoffs) generated much excitement. And while he may still compete for return duties, the club is moving Williams from cornerback to running back, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets.

The switch is somewhat telling of the team’s belief (or lack thereof) in Williams’ upside as a defender. The Falcons have A.J. Terrell and free agent acquisition Casey Hayward locked in as a strong pair of boundary corners, but there is not much depth behind them, especially since Atlanta did not select a CB in last month’s draft. Although the team re-signed Isaiah Oliver to serve as its top nickel back, Oliver was limited to just four games in 2021 due to a knee injury, and 2021 second-rounder Richie Grant — who saw some time in the slot last year due to Oliver’s injury — is expected to work primarily as a safety in 2022.

Despite that, it appears that 2021 fourth-round selection Darren Hall will have the chance to continue honing his craft as a corner, while Williams will be tasked with carving out a role in a crowded offensive backfield. The Falcons just signed Jeremy McNichols several days ago, and they brought in Damien Williams shortly after free agency opened in March. The club also picked up Tyler Allgeier in the fifth round of this year’s draft and is of course still rostering 2021 revelation Cordarrelle Patterson. Qadree Ollison and Caleb Huntley round out the current RB depth chart.

Patterson is hardly a prototypical back, and he will likely continue to be utilized in a hybrid receiver/running back role. Damien Williams, meanwhile, has only received more than 100 carries in a season once in his seven-year career (not including his 2020 COVID opt-out), and there is a reason McNichols was still available in late May. So there is a chance that Avery Williams can make some headway in a rushing attack that ranked near the bottom of the league in every major statistical category in 2021, but with the sheer number of bodies in Atlanta’s running back room at the moment, it’s difficult to argue that this positional change bodes well for his professional future.

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