Atlanta Falcons: Tevin Coleman as trade bait?
By Randy Gurzi
The question was asked on the Atlanta Falcon’s team page if they could trade running back Tevin Coleman. Is such a move possible after the 2017 season?
The Atlanta Falcons feature two talented running backs in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. However, it was clearly established in the offseason that Freeman is not only the guy now, but will be in the future as Atlanta inked him to a five-year deal worth $41.25 million deal. With him now locked up, the attention will turn to Tevin Coleman, who enters the last year of his deal in 2018.
It’s obvious the Falcons don’t want to spend the cash to keep both guys, and Coleman will surely command a decent salary given his 4.4 yard per carry career average. That’s not to mention the skill he shows as a receiver — he caught 31 passes for 421 yards in 2016 and had 11 touchdowns as a runner and receiver combined.
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On top of that, he will likely desire somewhere he can get more carries than he would in Atlanta where he plays second fiddle to Freeman. So does that mean as he enters his final season with the Dirty Birds they should go ahead and see what value he has on the open market? That’s the exact question which was posed on the team’s official website by a fan named Kit:
"“I think since Devonta Freeman’s contract signing, this is Tevin Coleman’s last year in Atlanta. In fact, I think he will be traded for a second-round round pick to San Francisco. Kyle Shanahan loves him. Comments?”"
The question was fielded by Matthew Tabeek, the digital managing editor for the site, and he seemed to think that’s less than likely to happen:
"“Wow, that’s interesting and I see why you might connect those dots, but it’s obviously all speculation. I certainly haven’t seen any reports or heard of any trade rumors. I think the Falcons are built to win now and focused on 2017. As far as the offseason and possible trades go, it all depends on team needs and what they might be offered as far as compensation. Fans love to float trades out there and I get it; but it’s not fantasy football – there’s a lot more to take into consideration, as you probably know.”"
Our take
Tabeek’s response is pretty spot on. He’s right that the idea makes sense, but there’s no way a second round pick will be had for Coleman’s services — it’s just too rare to see premier picks given up for players. Usually for a potential starter like Coleman is (he’s never been a full-time guy) a mid-round pick is the going rate.
Atlanta would be much better served to use him for another season and let him leave via free agency. While Tabeek was right this isn’t fantasy football, it’s also not the NBA — you can get paid back for lost free agents via compensatory picks.
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Should Coleman leave and join former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, or anyone else of course, Atlanta could still wind up with a pick as early as Round 3. That’s potentially better than anything a team would offer for a guy with one year remaining anyway.