Andrew Buller-Russ
We know the Atlanta Falcons have a new head coach. Depending on Michael Penix Jr.‘s ACL recovery, the Falcons could have a new starting quarterback with Tua Tagovailoa ready to prove his worth as a Pro Bowl talent.
But there are other questions too. Such as whether the Falcons have a strong enough cast of receivers to complement Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
There are free agent signees Olamide Zaccheus and Jahan Dotson, plus rookie third-round selection Zachariah Branch. Yet, Zaccheus and Dotson haven’t recorded over 550 yards in a single season, and Branch is obviously unproven as well.
Thus, it’s not unreasonable to think the Falcons could add a receiver with a proven track record, and there are still some former All-Pro and Pro Bowl players available.
Recently, Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer suggested that the Falcons could be an eventual landing spot for free agent Stefon Diggs.
“I think Diggs will probably be somewhere in that one-year, $10 million range. The Chiefs could make sense. The Commanders might, too, since Diggs is from D.C. The Falcons and Rams would also be interesting landing spots.”
SI’s Albert Breer on Stefon Diggs
There isn’t a lot of money available at this stage in free agency. But Diggs won’t land anything close to the $96 million contract he once landed in Buffalo. Yet, we could see Diggs’ market heat up now that signed players won’t impact a team’s compensatory pick formula.
It also helps that the NFL Draft recently concluded, giving teams a much better idea of their remaining needs and what type of role a veteran might have. In Atlanta, the role is pretty clear; he’d be the starting receiver opposite London, helping take attention away from Pitts as well.
The question is, how many other teams are eyeing Diggs for a similar role, and whether the Falcons are a situation that will stick out. Plus, the Falcons may have the upper hand, with head coach Kevin Stefnaski spending the first five seasons of Diggs’ career as a member of the Minnesota Vikings‘ coaching staff.
Ultimately, the Falcons appear to have a lot working in their favor when it comes to bringing Diggs aboard, but there hasn’t been any official movement linking him to Atlanta. Yet.
Related: 4 Best Stefon Diggs Landing Spots After NFL Draft
