Falcons: Deciding which defensive free agents should re-sign or walk
Vincent Taylor, DL, Atlanta Falcons
The players who never played last year are the difficult ones to make a decision on. Vincent Taylor has now had two-straight seasons destroyed by injuries. With a new defensive coordinator, you can assume he will walk.
Verdict: Walk
Jaleel Johnson, DL, Atlanta Falcons
Jaleel Johnson played sparingly last season but was able to finish the season on a strong note. He had his best game in week 18 against the Buccaneers.
Ryan Nielson—the Falcons’ new defensive coordinator—knows Johnson well as he was his positional coach during Johnson’s two stints in the Saints in 2021 and 2022. He only left the Saints due to the Texans signing him off their practice squad and then, more recently, an injury. Wouldn’t be shocking if they bring him back.
Verdict: Re-sign
Matt Dickerson, DL, Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons kept Matt Dickerson off the field for most of the season and even when he was on the field, he wasn’t very good. Not a difficult decision.
Verdict: Walk
Abdullah Anderson, DL, Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta’s defensive line was abysmal, again, but Abdullah Anderson was their best down lineman not named Grady Jarrett or Ta’Quon Graham.
He was a pleasant surprise and he ended up picking up most of the slack following Graham’s season-ending injury. When you have a position group as deserted as this, you must bring back anyone who showed they can play and Anderson showed he can.