It is easy to make the case Atlanta Falcons GM Terry Fontenot should have been fired at the end of the 2024 season. Signing Kirk Cousins alone is typically the type of blunder that demands someone take accountability. Add in Fontenot's consistently underwhelming draft classes and it was a bit surprising to see the team move forward with the GM. Perhaps the selling point was simply that Fontenot was responsible for setting the team up with their next franchise quarterback in Michael Penix Jr.
Whatever the reasoning might be, Fontenot was handed a second chance and is already facing heat from fans this offseason. Atlanta has been relatively quiet in the first moves of free agency leading some fan frustration. It is undeserved when you look at the cap situation and how the Falcons are handling Kirk Cousins, despite the consistent missteps of the last seasons Fontenot and the Atlanta front office deserve patience when you consider the limited resources.
Despite the lack of splashy moves, Fontenot has Atlanta off to a solid offseason start
Fontenot's decision with Kirk Cousins alone deserves credit when it seemed clear the team would be paying the quarterback to play elsewhere. Caring more about your team and quarterback room than Kirk's wishes is the right decision and could net the Falcons a draft pick. The absolute worst scenario is a trade doesn't present itself and Cousins refuses to alter his contract. This leaves you with the best backup quarterback in the league and a valuable trade chip when the first quarterback injury strikes.
A more likely way the situation plays out is Atlanta being rewarded for their patience with Cousins waiving his guarantees or the team working out a trade. This is the correct approach to a bad situation the Falcons put themselves into.
Aside from this, Atlanta has made a myriad of important depth signings and has started the defensive rebuild. Letting Grady Jarrett walk away and opting not to pay center Drew Dalman were great decisions as well. Needing to protect future cap space to pay their star players, Atlanta needed to move on from both pieces.
Terry Fontenot deserves patience and time when you look at the team's limited resources and what needs to be done in the 2025 offseason. We are in the early minutes of the first quarter of the offseason and already fans are showing frustration. While Fontenot has earned a healthy level of doubt in seasons past it is far too early to give up on the offseason just yet.
Allow the front office time to continue to make underrated signings and figure out how to shed Kirk Cousins. They are playing the long game on a number of fronts avoiding making an early offseason splash, focused on attempting to build a complete roster.