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3 affordable free agent targets for the Falcons this offseason

If the Falcons are going to throw big money at a QB, here's how they could ration out the rest.

By Cameron Ellis

Buffalo Bills v Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills v Miami Dolphins / Perry Knotts/GettyImages
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2. WR Darnell Mooney

The bet here is that whoever signs Mooney this offseason will get an absolute steal.

He looked ready breakout during his second season with the Bears, when the 5th round pick of Tulane put up over 1,000 receiving yards on 81 catches. Things took a weird turn after that, and has put up less than 500 yards in each of the last two seasons since. As is always the case in Chicago, it's hard to totally blame the players – no one's going to have killer stats when you're coached by Matt Nagy, Matt Eberflus, and Luke Getsy. At 26, there's still plenty of football ahead of him.

And while the Falcons do have a ton of young, exciting playmakers on offense, it's not like their wide receiver room is stacked, either. Drake London led the team in receiving yards last year (905). The next best wide receiver? Mack Hollins, who had 251 yards all year. Mooney could be the smaller (he's 5'11), completion-play type of receiver that compliments London's outside, vertical-threat skillset; and frankly, they're both versatile enough to do both.

Especially if Kyle Pitts isn't long for Atlanta, an offense of London, Mooney, and Bijan Robinson would be a great start for the new coaching staff.

3. EDGE Kyle Van Noy

Another older-but-reliable edge rusher. Everywhere he's gone, Van Noy has been productive: even at 33, he finished 2023 ranked as Pro Football Focus' 32nd best pass-rusher.

And maybe some of that comes from playing on a Ravens defense that was bursting at the seams with All Pro talent, but Van Noy's career speaks for itself. He even set a career high last year in sacks (9.0) – that's how good the Ravens were.

It doesn't help the Falcons' defense get any younger, but you can't solve everything in one offense. Especially if the plan is to eventually get younger, Morris could probably use a vet or two on the front to help that process develop the way he wants. Pro Football Focus' projection is a one-year, roughly $3 million deal, which is well within the Falcons wheelhouse.

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