Grading the Atlanta Falcons major offseason moves this year

Resign Younghoe Koo for 5 years, $24.5 million

This was a move that the Falcons just had to make. The NFL tends to not place value on kickers but there is nothing worse than losing a game due to a missed kick. Atlanta needed to find a replacement for Matt Bryant years ago and they found one quickly with Koo.

Not to mention, he brings value as the league’s best onside kicker. While we have not seen it for a while, it could potentially help the Falcons win an improbable game.

$24 million might seem like a lot for a kicker, but the cap hits are manageable and they have a potential out after two years, just in case.

Grade: A-

Resign Isaiah Oliver for 1 year, $2.3 million

Isaiah Oliver had an early end to what was shaping out to be a great season by the slot corner due to a knee injury. To be able to bring him back on a prove-it deal with such a low cap hit and salary is excellent, it is a low risk, high reward contract. Not much to be negative about with this.

Grade: A

Resign Cordarrelle Patterson for 2 years, $10.5 million

Again, this was such a good contract for Atlanta as they were able to get a discount on a player who wanted nothing more than to stay with the Falcons. He accepted less money to stay here since he loved his first year with the Falcons.

There is an “out” in his contract after one year just in case he cannot replicate the success, there is nothing to not like about this deal, even if it would have been nice to lock him down for more than two years.

Grade: A+

Extend Grady Jarrett for 3 years, $50.5 million

Grady Jarrett was a big question mark this offseason as no one knew whether or not he would be traded but Terry Fontenot felt that he is the leader of the defense and should be around for even longer.

It is nice to see that Grady is a part of the team’s plans going forward as he has been so important for the defense, but it is surprising because the team is obviously rebuilding and Grady is one of the older players on the roster. Leaving emotions out of it, It just does not fit with everything else Fontenot has done this offseason.

Nonetheless, Jarrett is a great player and deserved this extension. Hopefully, he will get to be a part of another great Falcons team in the near future.

Grade: B