Five free agents the Atlanta Falcons will re-sign

With the NFL combine coming to a close, the Atlanta Falcons are going to turn their attention to the free agent over the next couple of weeks as the league’s new year has started.

The Atlanta Falcons currently have 24 unrestricted free agents from their 2019 team. Keep in mind that number also includes guys like Matt Simms who got an injury settlement from them after last preseason.

As we already know the Atlanta Falcons are not bringing former first-round pick, Vic Beasley. After five seasons with the club, he is gone and will undoubtedly sign somewhere when free agency begins Wednesday, March 18th at 4 pm.

We also know the club has announced that they will allow free agents Austin Hooper, Wes Schweitzer, and De’Vondre Campbell to test the free-agent market to see what their true value is before making an offer. While the Atlanta Falcons could bring them all back, chances are they won’t. Hooper and Campbell will get more money from another team and Schweitzer just is not that good.

Once you remove those players, the Atlanta Falcons are left with roughly 15-18 unrestricted free agents that they can bring back for 2020. As we all know the Falcons have cap issues and that will more than likely keep the team from going after big targets like Joe Thuney in free agency, though we can dream.

Let’s take a look at the five unrestricted free agents the Atlanta Falcons are sure to bring back in 2020.

Jack Crawford

Jack Crawford may be the most versatile defensive lineman that the Atlanta Falcons currently have. He can play inside and out and is one of the better backups on the entire team regardless of position. With the defensive line needing more talent and depth, the Falcons aren’t going to let him walk just to save a couple of million.

Crawford has spent the last three seasons with the Falcons and while 2019 was his least productive. In 2018 as a starter for most of the season, he was highly effective disrupting the opposing offense. He had six sacks, nine QB hits and seven tackles for loss. While his numbers dropped off in 2019, he also took a lot fewer snaps on defense.

With only Grady Jarrett, Deadrin Senate, Takk McKinley, John Cominsky, and Allen Bailey under contract for 2020, the Falcons will look to bring Crawford back, if the price is right.

Tyeler Davison

Another defensive lineman that Thomas Dimitroff and Dan Quinn really want to bring back in 2020. He spent one year with the Atlanta Falcons after spending the first few years of his career with the New Orleans Saints.

He started 12 games for the Falcons in 2019 and seemed to pair well with Grady Jarrett inside. No one knows what scheme the Falcons will use defensively, but Davison is sure to be part of the plan. If it came down to either Crawford or Davison, they more than likely bring back Davison because he is younger.

That said, like Crawford, if the price is right you will see Davison back in the black and red like Crawford.

Blidi Wreh-Wilson

Wreh-Wilson has been with the Atlanta Falcons for the last four seasons and has been a serviceable back up in a secondary that needs better starting talent and more depth that can stay healthy.

The Falcons secondary may be the most often injured group in the NFL, but Wreh-Wilson has always been ready when his name was called and for a group expected to get younger, his affordable veteran presence will be welcomed in 2020.

Brian Hill

This might be the safest bet of all the free agents that the Atlanta Falcons have to deal with. Hill worked a lot on becoming a playmaker in the passing game between the 2018 and 2019 season and had a much better year last year after Ito Smith got hurt.

Hill is good enough to be in most team rotation but is not so good that the Atlanta Falcons cannot sign him to an affordable extension for at least he 2020 season. Chances are he signs a two year deal with the Falcons. Devonta Freeman is likely done in Atlanta and Kenjon Barner won’t be back either. The Falcons will draft a running back in April’s draft, but Hill will still be back in 2020.

J.J. Wilcox

Wilcox got an injury settlement after tearing his ACL in July. Dan Quinn really likes what Wilcox brings to the table and given the instability of the Falcons secondary, a healthy Wilcox will bring veteran leadership and guy that has taken a lot of snaps in the NFL.

His market value will be affordable for the Falcons and their cap hell situation and the Falcons more than likely will not address Safety in the draft this year and stick with free agency for this need, starting with Wilcox.