The Atlanta Falcons promptly signed former UGA Bulldog Leonard Floyd after he was released by the San Francisco 49ers this offseason.
It was a move that was generally praised because it gave the Falcons an edge presence who could be relied on to approach, or even break, the double-digit sack mark.
However, when you dive deeper into things, it becomes painfully obvious that Floyd won't live up to his high expectations.
Leonard Floyd will disappoint the Falcons on the field in 2025
Terry Fontenot's offseason plan went something like this: sign a veteran pass rusher who will bring leadership and production before selecting one in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Floyd was a logical choice to be the veteran as he has nine years and 138 games under his belt, along with five consecutive seasons with at least eight sacks.
We can certainly expect him to deliver on the leadership side, but expecting eight or more sacks is setting yourself up for disappointment.
The trust is, Floyd's eight sacks with San Fran last year were a mirage; he was actually one of the league's worst at getting to the quarterback.
He had a career-low in pass-rush win rate (8.8%) and his Pro Football Focus grades were dismal.
- Overall Grade: 53.5 (163rd)
- Pass Rush Grade: 53.9 (161st)
- Run Defense Grade: 54.4 (157th)
Is a $10 million deal for a player who ranks in the bottom 60 at his position really worth it?
Fortunately, it is only a one-year deal, so if he doesn't live up to expectations, the Falcons aren't on the hook for anything.
Still, that money could've been used somewhere else; maybe they would've been more inclined to trade for Jalen Ramsey or sign Jaire Alexander?
We do know that he will help the young core of Arnold Ebiketie, Bralen Trice, Jalon Walker, and James Pearce Jr. Is that enough to justify his significant salary? Ultimately, that is up to you to decide.