Frustrated With The Atlanta Falcons Off-Season? You Have Every Right

The Atlanta Falcons season ended relatively uneventful., a 17-point comeback versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that cost them a few spots in the draft. And yes, Matt Ryan caught his first career touchdown but still.

The Atlanta Falcons had a lengthy to-do list this off-season: lock up Grady Jarrett, pay Julio Jones, get rid of Robert Alford, make sure Devonta Freeman, Keanu Neal, and Ricardo Allen got healthy, sure up the offensive line and for the love of all things green, do not pick up a near $13 million option for Vic Beasley.

But here we are, post draft, and just 72 days away from their first preseason game in Canton. While Alford is out west and Neal and Allen seem to be progressing along well according to Pro Football Talk, other moves give you every right to be frustrated.

This upcoming season is make or break for Dan Quinn and his staff. After the great collapse of 51, do I need to say the score, the Falcons have yet to find their footing. They got rid of most coaches from that time except, you guessed it, Dan Quinn.

So here we are, with a playoff-less season. Enough talent on the roster to win it all and an owner who wants to win in Arthur Blank. And as things have gone, what did the Falcons do? Well, not enough.

They failed to lock up Grady Jarrett, instead slapping him with the franchise tag, $15.2 million,  and eating up precious cap space.

And what else? You guessed it, picked up Vic Beasley’s $12.8 million option. The Falcons, in dire need for depth and youth in key places spent $30 million on two players. One much more expendable than the other.

The team then signed three offensive linemen in free agency before drafting two more in the first round. Perhaps a sign of overcompensating? Chris Lindstrom, if he pans out, will be great. But trading back into the first round to grab another, leaves you scratching your head.

And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, guess who remains without a new, much deserved deal: Julio Jones. Thomas Dimitroff pledged to take care of Jones after re-adjusting his contract last year to get him to show up to camp. But 113 catches, 1,677 yards, and eight touchdowns later, that has yet to happen.

It’s maddening.

Lest why us fans have every right to be frustrated. But as the old sports adage goes, winning cures all.

Let’s hope the Atlanta Falcons can do enough of it to put us at ease.