Atlanta Falcons: Winners and losers from start of free agency

Loser: Jaylinn Hawkins

Jaylinn Hawkins, by my estimation, had a solid season last year. He was able to make plays and stay pretty healthy. However, sometimes the NFL isn't fair and that is certainly the case after Terry Fontenot saw the chance to land Jessie Bates.

Hawkins is pushed out of the starting spot. Bates and Richie Grant will become the primary starters; Hawkins is essentially out of luck.

This was a smart move for the Falcons; no one is going to argue against Bates having a higher upside, but it is still an unfortunate turn of events for Jaylinn after he showed promise in every game he played. He may see the field but he isn't likely to be a starter unless the Falcons move Grant to the slot—which isn't a good idea.