The Atlanta Falcons have been battling receiver woes all season long, and those have finally started to have an adverse affect on Kirk Cousins. In the Falcons' 37-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the receiver room combined for just 31 receiving yards while Cousins enjoyed his worst start of the year.
The 37-year-old signal-caller threw two interceptions on Sunday, and playing without Drake London certainly didn't help. While London could be back on Thursday night against the Buccaneers, the Dirty Birds still attempted to address the lack of depth at wideout by signing ex-Packer Malik Heath.
Heath fell out of favor in a crowded receiver room in Green Bay, but has displayed flashes of being a productive depth WR. That said, the Falcons have been rotating depth receivers based on practice performance, so the 25-year-old could make an instant impact in Atlanta with additional playing time.
Falcons' signing of Malik Heath could finallly provide Kirk Cousins with some stability at receiver
With London sidelined, David Sills V and Darnell Mooney have been the starting wide receivers, which is far from encouraging. Mooney has struggled mightily to the point where he's a popular offseason cut candidate, while Sills is a career journeyman who doesn't deserve legitimate NFL playing time.
The Falcons have other options like Casey Washington and KhaDarrel Hodge, but Washington has been healthy scratched in three straight games as his time in red and black is likely coming to an end. And it seems like Deven Thompkins and Dylan Drummond have both lapped him on the depth chart.
The Dirty Birds still have Cousins' former teammate K.J. Osborn on the practice squad, but he has yet to be activated as well. And while the Falcons have nothing to play for the rest of the way, there's a real chance Heath capitalizes on the additional playing time and is retained heading into next season.
The Ole miss product has just six catches this season, but is a viable downfield threat in an offense that needs them. As for Cousins, he has been up-and-down as the starting quarterback since Michael Penix Jr. went down, but things are trending in the wrong direction for the $180 million man.
The four-time Pro Bowler lit up the Saints and was adequate against the Jets, but his performance against the Seahawks mostly confirmed he won't be in Atlanta next season as the short-term bridge option with Penix sidelined.
However, the receiver room certainly hasn't made his job easier. Both Raheem Morris' ineptitude in handling the WR room and the constant drops from the pass-catcher has continually stalled drives, but luckily, Heath has the upside to grant Cousins' career a lifeline in an expanded role.