Should the Atlanta Falcons consider adding this Free Agent cornerback?

The Atlanta Falcons were cash strapped entering the 2021 free agent cycle.

This was something Atlanta Falcons fans and media members alike knew, hence why the team restructured Matt Ryan’s contract to get under the cap. From there, the team has stayed relatively modest, signing veterans to minimum deals with no real major salary cap implications.

That said, Atlanta Falcons fans are still waiting for that big-ticket item.

The one player maybe Atlanta could really utilize and potentially work in either Arthur Smith’s offense or Dean Pees’ defense.

Currently, the NFL free-agent market is full of said veterans that, given the Falcons situation, maybe could sign at the minimum. Guys like Jadeveon Clowney, Malik Hooker, and even someone like Brian Poole, who left Atlanta to play last two seasons with the Jets, so reuniting with the team in a new system could be beneficial to a defense that has been much maligned, so to speak.

However, there’s one player currently out there that, if the Falcons managed to snag his services, would almost immediately benefit this positional group in the short-term, and potentially long-term if the team looks towards it in the draft – Richard Sherman.

Yes, that Richard Sherman.

The cornerback from the fabled “Legion of Boom” that ran roughshod with guys like Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, and Bobby Wagner underneath former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn while he was in Seattle.

First things first, let’s get the negatives out of the picture: Sherman is going to be 33 years old soon, so he’s nearing the tail end of his career.

Furthermore, in 2017, he fell victim to an injury that has plagued the Falcons secondary the last three seasons: a torn Achilles tendon and was placed on IR with the 49ers last season due to a calf strain.

So while the injury bug is present, that could be a potential turn-off factor for some potential suitors.

Positives for why Richard Sherman could work with the Atlanta Falcons.

For starters, the secondary is horrendously bad, and that’s being modest.

According to NFL.com, the Falcons secondary was the worst pass defense in the entire NFL last season, surrendering 4,697 passing yards in 2020, which translates to 293.6 yards per game. In other words, his presence alone would be beneficial.

Let’s look at his most recent successful season, the 2019 season. While playing with the 49ers, Sherman only surrendered 227 yards total, adding three interceptions while also playing for the eventual NFC champions.

The final point as to why Sherman could be beneficial to the Falcons if they address the secondary in the draft?

His intelligence factor.

Sherman’s alma mater is Stanford, arguably one of the more reputable universities in the educational atmosphere. Also, his ability to read and react to opposing receivers in coverage provides a sense of security the defense hasn’t experienced in a while.

And most importantly, Sherman’s ability to be a team player could pay dividends to the development of AJ Terrell and potentially anyone the Falcons select in the draft.

Having his mere presence in the locker room could be helpful as his techniques could be added to their repertoire, which could then be shown during games and prove why Terrell’s selection last year was warranted (even though he’s pretty much better than Okudah and Henderson at the moment).

Currently, it’s not known what Sherman’s contract demands would be like, or if Atlanta would even be considered a potential suitor.

That said, if the stars align, Atlanta would get a major boost to their secondary in 2021 if Sherman trades in the red and gold for the red and black.