Various injuries have spurred the Atlanta Falcons into action. Just this month, they added Justin Simmons and Matthew Judon, two Pro Bowl players. But some feel the front office still has more work to do, particularly at the receiver and cornerback positions.
There are still several big-name players out there, from Hunter Renfrow to Patrick Peterson, to name a few. The Falcons still have just over $8 million in cap space. So, why hasn’t Atlanta made more moves?
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Don’t expect more Atlanta Falcons roster upgrades quite yet
Recently, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer was asked whether the Atlanta Falcons were likely to add another receiver or a cornerback. According to the NFL insider, Falcons fans shouldn’t hold their breath. Not quite yet anyway. But more roster additions could be coming in the near future.
“Could the Falcons use some more corner depth behind A.J. Terrell? Sure. Could they add a body to the Drake London-led receiver room? Yes. But I look at the names there, and there are a lot of guys who’ve played a lot of football. It’s hardly a five-alarm fire.
So, for right now, if they add a piece or two at either of those spots, it’ll be someone cut from another roster, rather than through some sort of trade. Remember, the team just invested a draft pick to acquire Matthew Judon and cash to acquire Justin Simmons to bolster a defense that was shorthanded. I’d also leave open the possibility that things change between now and the trade deadline.”
Albert Breer on Falcons roster upgrades
The Falcons have already made several roster improvements over the team that finished 7-10 last season. They already believe this group is capable of not only competing, but winning the NFC South.
But instead of parting with more valuable trade assets or making a high-dollar signing, the Falcons may be waiting to see which players could surprisingly become available during roster cutdowns. There are always a few every year. Plus, getting a better chance to evaluate their depth on hand never hurts either. The more reps they get, the better chance they’ll have to show off their development.
On the other hand, if the Falcons have an eye on a veteran in free agency, getting them in the building now so they can start learning the playbook and building chemistry with their teammates has value, too. Yet, after adding Simmons and Judon, maybe the Falcons are content with the bulk of their roster for now. But that doesn’t mean things can’t change over the next few weeks.