Grading the Atlanta Falcons major offseason moves this year
Sign LB Nick Kwiatkowski to 1-year deal
While the numbers for Kwiatkowski have not been confirmed yet, we can expect that this is a cheap deal with little repercussion if it does not work out, as is the case with most one-year deals.
Kwiatkowski has put together a few solid seasons in the past but we know his potential, he will never be an elite coverage linebacker but instead a reliable veteran who will take pressure off from the starters or in case of injury. He should not be a starter. This is not a flashy signing but he should get a decent amount of snaps throughout the year.
Grade: B
Sign LB Rashaan Evans to 1 year, $1.7 million
Rashaan Evans has talent as he was a first-round pick just four years ago. He was just never able to be what the Titans expected when they took him 22nd overall in 2018.
The Falcons get him on a very cheap contract and he should be a bridge starter until the team can find their next star linebacker, whether they are on the roster or not. Much like the resigning of Isaiah Oliver, it is hard to hate anything about this deal.
Grade: A-
Sign OLB Lorenzo Carter to 1 year, $3.5 million
This is a deal that on the surface looks good as the Falcons badly needed to add pass rushers and Lorenzo Carter is young and talented. However, when you consider the fact that this one-year deal will likely negate a compensatory pick, it becomes more difficult to praise.
With that being said, Carter could potentially become a star, he has the traits and size but during his time with the Giants, he never proved he could be a starting-caliber player.
Grade: C+
Sign CB Casey Hayward to 2 years, $11 million
This was Terry Fontenot’s biggest steal of free agency, it is difficult to understand why Hayward either did not demand more money or was not offered more money. He has proven to be one of the most reliable corners that the league has.
Pairing him with A.J. Terrell and Isaiah Oliver will give the Falcons the best trio of cornerbacks that they have had in years. There is reason to be excited about Atlanta’s secondary as they could potentially be one of the best in the league.