Atlanta Falcons sign former Saints defensive lineman to three-year deal

Finally, the Atlanta Falcons added help on the inside to pair with Grady Jarrett signing David Onyemata to a three-year deal on Monday afternoon. The fact that Atlanta gets to add much-needed help while stealing an impact player from the Saints makes the move even sweeter for a team that needed to add a starter alongside Jarrett.

Onyemata is still only thirty despite this being his eighth year in the league. David has 63 career quarterback hits and 23.0 sacks. Onyemata will help the Atlanta pass rush by allowing attention to be taken off of the edge rushers and giving Grady Jarrett far fewer double teams.

Pairing Onyemata and Jarrett should give the Falcons reason to feel they have taken a huge step in addressing their issues stopping the run as well as steadying the middle of the Atlanta defensive line.

The contract is a three-year deal that should lock in three Atlanta starters now with Onyemata, Jarrett, and Lorenzo Carter all locked in along the defensive line. Atlanta has solid depth options but should still be looking for a top-edge rusher to pair opposite Carter.

Signing Leonard Floyd and bringing back a former Georgia player to his home state is one move Atlanta should strongly consider. It would give the Falcons an affordable defensive line that is still a clear upgrade.

Onyemata will reunite with his former coach and current Falcons DC Ryan Nielsen giving the Atlanta coach a player who was the center of the defensive line he coached in New Orleans. Onyemata gives Jarrett the best help he has had on the inside in his career in Atlanta as well as giving the Falcons reason to feel as if his production should take a step forward as well.

Signing Onymata continues Atlanta’s early trend of being aggressive while still making smart moves and continuing to build out the roster the right way.