HEADLINES

Thomas DeCoud

Falcons Release Thomas DeCoud

March 11th, 2014 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons are set to release Pro Bowl safety Thomas DeCoud, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN (on Twitter). Atlanta has faced a bit of a numbers crunch this offseason and DeCoud is a notable victim.

The move has long been expected. A portion of DeCoud’s salary was set to become guaranteed if he remained on the team’s roster beyond March 14th. The 28-year-old earned a spot in the Pro Bowl a year ago due in large part to his six interceptions during the 2012 season. However, he didn’t grade well according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics that season, and was even worse in 2013, ranking 83rd out of 86 qualified safeties (subscription required).

The longtime Falcons starter had three years remaining on his contract, but the club has instead $3MM in 2014 cap savings by releasing him. DeCoud will join a group of free agent safeties that currently includes T.J. Ward, Jairus Byrd, Donte Whitner, Chris Clemons, and James Ihedigbo, among others.

Byrd Notes: Falcons, Browns, Jets, Bills

March 3rd, 2014 at 8:58pm CST by Peter Sowards

The deadline for teams to apply their franchise and transition tags has come and gone, and the Bills announced earlier today they would not tag three-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd.

Now it’s time for beat writers from safety-needy teams to look at whether the former Oregon product who played the 2013 season on a franchise tender would be worth his hefty price tag.

When D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution ranked his five free agent targets for the Falcons, he ranked Byrd No. 1. Atlanta will be $26.7MM beneath the salary cap once Tony Gonzalez‘s $7MM slot is removed, and Ledbetter cites the potential upgrade Byrd would present over incumbent free safety Thomas DeCoud, whom the Falcons are expected to release, as justification.

But, there’s only so much money you can invest in one position, as ESPN Atlanta Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure points out. Strong safety William Moore enters year two of a five-year, $29.51M contract, and Byrd figures to command a substantially larger deal.

Other Byrd notes from around the league…

  • When the Browns placed the transition tag on center Alex Mack earlier today, they gave up their exclusive rights of T.J. Ward, another top-tier safety hitting free agency. ESPN Browns reporter Pat McManamon looks at the potential for a Byrd/Ward swap of sorts, reuniting Byrd with Cleveland head coach and former Buffalo defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
  • The Jets haven’t paid top dollar for a safety since Kerry Rhodes‘ $33.5MM deal in 2008, ESPNNewYork.com reporter Rich Cimini notes, but Byrd is worth investigating. Cimini’s gut tells him the team will likely look again to Dawan Landry and Antonio Allen in 2014, but with 22 interceptions since 2009 and six against the Jets, Byrd should draw the organization’s eye.
  • Aaron Williams, a second-round pick in 2011, tops the list of likely replacements for Byrd in Buffalo, with younger players Duke Williams, Jonathan Meeks and Jujuan Harley as long shots, per ESPN Bills reporter Mike Rodak.

Falcons Expected To Release Thomas DeCoud

February 26th, 2014 at 8:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons are expected to release veteran safety Thomas DeCoud by the fourth day of the 2014 league year, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). A portion of DeCoud’s salary becomes guaranteed if he remains on the team’s roster beyond March 14, but it’s possible he’ll be released even before then, as Atlanta looks to get its cap in order by March 11.

DeCoud, 28, earned a spot in the Pro Bowl a year ago due in large part to his six interceptions during the 2012 season. However, he didn’t grade well according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics that season, and was even worse in 2013, ranking 83rd out of 86 qualified safeties (subscription required). The longtime Falcons starter has three years remaining on his contract, but the club could create $3MM in 2014 cap savings by releasing him within the next couple weeks. Cutting him would reduce his cap number rom $4.8MM to just $1.8MM in dead money.

If and when the move becomes official, DeCoud will join a group of free agent safeties that currently includes T.J. Ward, Jairus Byrd, Donte Whitner, Chris Clemons, and James Ihedigbo, among others. The free agent market should provide plenty of options for teams looking to address their secondary prior to the draft.