Why the Atlanta Falcons should consider bring Devonta Freeman back

Looking at the running back position for the Atlanta Falcons there isn’t any certainty as to what the attack could look like next season. Mike Davis is the only running back with experience at the position still under contract and his tenure with Atlanta has been frustrating.

Davis didn’t live up to expectations and could easily become a cap-saving cut this off-season. Cordarrelle Patterson is a free agent and whether or not he is going to return to Atlanta remains murky at best. Atlanta is going to have to find contributions at the position through the draft or bargain-free agent signings.

One surprising fit could be former Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman. When Freeman left Atlanta he looked to be at the end of his career struggling to find the same burst or help Atlanta establish a rushing attack. After leaving Atlanta Freeman struggled to find a job bouncing around camps and had a failed tenure with the New York Giants.

The former Atlanta Falcons rusher finally found a home in Baltimore and showed he still has something left in the tank

After failing to make a roster Freeman was finally given a chance with an injury-decimated Baltimore team that badly needed a running back. Freeman came in and finished the season with 576-rushing yards averaging 4.3-yards-per-rush. Flashes of the old Devonta Freeman were back and Baltimore leaned on him down the stretch of the season.

Freeman scored five times this season as well the most he has found the endzone since the 2017 season with Atlanta. Perhaps finally healthy Freeman showed he is still capable of being a contributor at this level.

Aside from his uptick in production Freeman is a perfect fit for Atlanta for several reasons. The first is his familiarity with Matt Ryan and his willingness to catch the ball out of the backfield Ryan needs the skill set that Freeman brings. The second is the fact that if Atlanta re-signs Patterson or opts to draft a running back they will need another reliable yet affordable option.

Due to his struggles over the last four years and the superior running backs on the market, Devonta Freeman in the right situation is going to be a bargain deal. Even if Atlanta re-signs Patterson and keeps Davis, Freeman still fits in perfectly and would be a change of pace running back for Atlanta.

Bringing him back may garner a mixed reaction but when you look objectively at this year’s free-agent class who is a better fit? Outside of the top four or five names that will be out of Atlanta’s price range, it is hard to argue against a reunion with Freeman.

Devonta Freeman still isn’t the same running back he was his first three years in Atlanta. However, he isn’t the injured struggling player he was when he left the Falcons either. He is a rotational player who in the right situation can have a huge impact and be a missing piece for the right team.