4 Star free agents the Atlanta Falcons should chase in 2023

[TheRisen999]

1. Daron Payne

If there is one impact-free agent at the top of the Atlanta Falcons’ wish list it should be defensive lineman Daron Payne. Payne is coming off a great season and will be rewarded in free agency. Atlanta’s biggest problem on defense for the past three years has been the consistent inability to win in the trenches. Opposing quarterbacks can stand all day in the pocket waiting for their receiver to beat the secondary or find a hole in the zone.

Signing Payne while costly would change this for the Falcons. Grady Jarrett and Daron Payne would be an elite duo that forced the interior of the offensive line to work together giving Atlanta’s edge rushers a far better chance to win consistently.

Add in Payne’s ability to stop the run and the Falcons shouldn’t hesitate to give Payne a reasonable contract. It seems likely Payne will demand a 4-5 year deal in the $16-20 million range giving Atlanta one of the most expensive defensive line duos in the league one that will change the way Atlanta plays defense and give them a chance to generate a consistent pass rush.

2. Sterling Shepard

Looking at potential bargains in free agency Sterling Shepard sticks out. While the receiver doesn’t fit Smith’s usual target at the position Shepard would be a perfect fit in the Atlanta offense as a second or third option at the position. Atlanta’s biggest issue on offense over the past two years has been their inability to get consistent production from their receivers.

Drake London was great down the stretch but aside from London who on this team can be counted on as a pass catcher from the receiver position? Atlanta needs to add talent at the position both in free agency and the draft. Shepard has been hampered by injuries over the past three seasons and because of that will likely be signed on a bargain contract.

It is also worth noting that Shepard has been a part of a number of dysfunctional offenses and a bad coaching staff. There is reason to believe with Kyle Pitts and Drake London ahead of him the veteran would thrive in the Atlanta offense. Adding much-needed speed and a veteran option Desmond Ridder can rely on if the receiver can stay healthy.

3. C.J. Gardner-Johnson

C.J. Gardner-Johnson would be a great fit for the Atlanta Falcons secondary and complete a unit that is clearly headed in the right direction. The one potential issue with this move is the fact that Gardner-Johnson is coming off his best season and playing in the Super Bowl. His free agency stock is certainly pointing in the right direction and while he is a clear fit for Atlanta the Falcons shouldn’t overpay if the market goes past reasonable value.

Gardner-Johnson won’t be a fan favorite due to his time with New Orleans and kicking the Atlanta logo. This would quickly change, however, if Atlanta brought C.J. into their secondary providing a much-needed edge.

New Orleans trading away C.J. remains one of the strangest moves of the 2022 season. Gardner-Johnson hits free agency having played a huge role in a defense that helped carry Philly to the Super Bowl and almost beat Patrick Mahomes in a game that could have swung either way. Gardner-Johnson to Atlanta is the most unlikely of these four moves but the fit is far too interesting to ignore entirely.

4. Mike Gesicki

Mike had three great seasons in the Miami offense before the addition of Tyreek Hill pushed him too far down the target list. Gesicki finished the season with 362 receiving yards, the lowest total since his rookie season by far.

Atlanta could use a second tight-end that would allow Kyle Pitts to play more of a receiver role while still posing a threat as a pass catcher. Gesicki fits this description perfectly and should be a bargain in free agency coming off of a bad season.

Gesicki would allow Arthur Smith to run a lot of the heavy sets his offense demands while still having two legitimate pass-catching threats on the field. Both Gesicki and Pitts offer an impressive ability to stretch the field as tight ends and have the ability to be matchup nightmares.

Gesicki is a solid blocker and would improve Atlanta’s depth at tight-end instantly though this isn’t saying much considering the team had a former quarterback on their depth chart at the position for the majority of last season.

I’m pretty sure the one we’d all agree on is Payne.. the other three players are interesting as well. Shepard in particular, I don’t usually like the team taking chances on guys with a long history of injuries but if the deal was minimal and we only saw him as a third option (which would probably help him stay healthy) I think Shepard could be the type of under the radar signing that makes GM’s look like geniuses in hindsight . 

 

 

 

[Summerhill]

#1 and #3 are no-brainers. #2 is ok but shouldn't be in a top 4 list. I don't see Gesecki as a fit at all. 

[Lornoth]

Absolutely no to Shepard. Not huge on Gesicki either, just let Pruitt play.

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

Payne and Gardner-Johnson

 

[DonDaLuvMaker]

Payne and GJ

[FalconFanSince1969]

2 and 4 make zero sense. Our #2 te needs to be able to block. Geseki is not that dude. Shepard cant stay on the field. Who writes this junk

[Mister pudding]

Free agent WR get too much money for their worth. If we build our D in free agency, take one in the 2nd or 3rd

Gesicki was franchised last year, so unless he's looking to play for next to nothing, hard pass.

[1989Fan]

I can get behind all but Gesicki. The reason MIA won’t keep him is the same reason we won’t sign him. Heavy reliance on blocking from TE In the offense, and dude is allergic to blocking, has been since his days at Penn State. 

not saying Sheppard is the guy, but the Falcons need a WR2.

[H2O]

Put the money into the safety who played in the Super Bowl.  Would look good in the defensive backfield.

[autigerfan]

I'd take Bates over CGJ.  Payne will be franchised.

[Knight of God]

3 and 4. I just don't think Payne will be available and Sterling...no. 

[Francis York Morgan]

https://bloggingdirty.com/2023/02/15/4-star-free-agents-atlanta-falcons-chase-2023/2/

Link the OG in your post, a lot of journalists depend on clicks and otherwise it looks like this was your writing.

[Falconcheff]

14 hours ago, Summerhill said:

#1 and #3 are no-brainers. #2 is ok but shouldn't be in a top 4 list. I don't see Gesecki as a fit at all. 

This. My personal opinion on WR is that we should trade for a bona fide legit #1... DHop, DK Metcalf or DJ Moore all have trade block rumors. I've got a 3rd round pick for any of them (if it's DK they can have a 4th next year too)... 

[Falconcheff]

4 hours ago, H2O said:

Put the money into the safety who played in the Super Bowl.  Would look good in the defensive backfield.

This is a good draft for safeties, I think we could get a longterm starter in the 2nd with Jayir Brown...

[Falconcheff]

4 hours ago, Knight of God said:

3 and 4. I just don't think Payne will be available and Sterling...no. 

Would you take Onyemata, especially considering Nielson as DC?

[Hard2BaBirdWachr]

Payne or Johnson is ok with me. Johnson still may need a fire hosing tho before he gets here. 

[Knight of God]

1 hour ago, Falconcheff said:

Would you take Onyemata, especially considering Nielson as DC?

Yep, he's the main on my list based on realistic availability and understanding of the scheme. I'd love Payne, I just don't think he'd be available and personally if I were him I'd either go back to DC or hope a team with a winning chance called. There is virtually nothing to lure him here with except paying even more than his value. 

[OrthoPTSD]

Shepard is number 2? Geez. Absolute vet minimum contract and then still not count on him to make team.

Johnson Garner is going to get a massive contract, we cant be re setting market on anyone with so many starter/ depth holes on team.

[MissouriFalcon49]

21 hours ago, TheRisen999 said:

1. Daron Payne

If there is one impact-free agent at the top of the Atlanta Falcons’ wish list it should be defensive lineman Daron Payne. Payne is coming off a great season and will be rewarded in free agency. Atlanta’s biggest problem on defense for the past three years has been the consistent inability to win in the trenches. Opposing quarterbacks can stand all day in the pocket waiting for their receiver to beat the secondary or find a hole in the zone.

Signing Payne while costly would change this for the Falcons. Grady Jarrett and Daron Payne would be an elite duo that forced the interior of the offensive line to work together giving Atlanta’s edge rushers a far better chance to win consistently.

Add in Payne’s ability to stop the run and the Falcons shouldn’t hesitate to give Payne a reasonable contract. It seems likely Payne will demand a 4-5 year deal in the $16-20 million range giving Atlanta one of the most expensive defensive line duos in the league one that will change the way Atlanta plays defense and give them a chance to generate a consistent pass rush.

2. Sterling Shepard

Looking at potential bargains in free agency Sterling Shepard sticks out. While the receiver doesn’t fit Smith’s usual target at the position Shepard would be a perfect fit in the Atlanta offense as a second or third option at the position. Atlanta’s biggest issue on offense over the past two years has been their inability to get consistent production from their receivers.

Drake London was great down the stretch but aside from London who on this team can be counted on as a pass catcher from the receiver position? Atlanta needs to add talent at the position both in free agency and the draft. Shepard has been hampered by injuries over the past three seasons and because of that will likely be signed on a bargain contract.

It is also worth noting that Shepard has been a part of a number of dysfunctional offenses and a bad coaching staff. There is reason to believe with Kyle Pitts and Drake London ahead of him the veteran would thrive in the Atlanta offense. Adding much-needed speed and a veteran option Desmond Ridder can rely on if the receiver can stay healthy.

3. C.J. Gardner-Johnson

C.J. Gardner-Johnson would be a great fit for the Atlanta Falcons secondary and complete a unit that is clearly headed in the right direction. The one potential issue with this move is the fact that Gardner-Johnson is coming off his best season and playing in the Super Bowl. His free agency stock is certainly pointing in the right direction and while he is a clear fit for Atlanta the Falcons shouldn’t overpay if the market goes past reasonable value.

Gardner-Johnson won’t be a fan favorite due to his time with New Orleans and kicking the Atlanta logo. This would quickly change, however, if Atlanta brought C.J. into their secondary providing a much-needed edge.

New Orleans trading away C.J. remains one of the strangest moves of the 2022 season. Gardner-Johnson hits free agency having played a huge role in a defense that helped carry Philly to the Super Bowl and almost beat Patrick Mahomes in a game that could have swung either way. Gardner-Johnson to Atlanta is the most unlikely of these four moves but the fit is far too interesting to ignore entirely.

4. Mike Gesicki

Mike had three great seasons in the Miami offense before the addition of Tyreek Hill pushed him too far down the target list. Gesicki finished the season with 362 receiving yards, the lowest total since his rookie season by far.

Atlanta could use a second tight-end that would allow Kyle Pitts to play more of a receiver role while still posing a threat as a pass catcher. Gesicki fits this description perfectly and should be a bargain in free agency coming off of a bad season.

Gesicki would allow Arthur Smith to run a lot of the heavy sets his offense demands while still having two legitimate pass-catching threats on the field. Both Gesicki and Pitts offer an impressive ability to stretch the field as tight ends and have the ability to be matchup nightmares.

Gesicki is a solid blocker and would improve Atlanta’s depth at tight-end instantly though this isn’t saying much considering the team had a former quarterback on their depth chart at the position for the majority of last season.

I’m pretty sure the one we’d all agree on is Payne.. the other three players are interesting as well. Shepard in particular, I don’t usually like the team taking chances on guys with a long history of injuries but if the deal was minimal and we only saw him as a third option (which would probably help him stay healthy) I think Shepard could be the type of under the radar signing that makes GM’s look like geniuses in hindsight . 

 

 

 

Payne be sweet. Stop run...which helps edge guys which makes secondary better.

[TheRisen999]

1 hour ago, OrthoPTSD said:

Shepard is number 2? Geez. Absolute vet minimum contract and then still not count on him to make team.

Johnson Garner is going to get a massive contract, we cant be re setting market on anyone with so many starter/ depth holes on team.

I’d look at Shephard as no more than a #3 or #4 guy depending on if we brought back OZ. I just thought it’d be a slick move if it worked out because he IS decent when he’s healthy.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

21 hours ago, FalconFanSince1969 said:

2 and 4 make zero sense. Our #2 te needs to be able to block. Geseki is not that dude. Shepard cant stay on the field. Who writes this junk

Because of injury, everyone has forgotten that we have one of the best young TEs unicorns in the game that never got a chance to work with our rookie. 

Sure we could use another dynamic Receiver but with those two HUGE targets, I say another dependable running back is a bigger need with the way we run the ball.

with use only having one guy right now we can count on, as one back is old and the other is coming back this year off of an injury(and he still wasn’t that dynamic before the injury).

[Ezekiel 25:17]

3 hours ago, MissouriFalcon49 said:

Payne be sweet. Stop run...which helps edge guys which makes secondary better.

You’re making it sound like rushing the passer is a team effort! 

 

On this board, you know that’s not gonna fly! 😂

[Abeasley27]

I’d like to throw a few names that could be in our timeline and be relatively easy to sign…

Connor McGovern 

Miles Sanders 

Nasir Adderly

I think these guys would be upgrades maybe not necessarily Sanders, but he would make a nice duo with Algiers. 

A couple others that we may could take a swing at would be Tremaine Edmunds as a true upgrade and Byron Murphy or Sean Murphy-Bunting as guys we could possibly buy low on and get a good return. 

My favorites of the class though are 

Charles Omenihu, Zach Allen, David Onyemata and of course Daron Payne and Jessie Bates 

Edited February 18 by Abeasley27

[West Sider]

Payne ain’t getting out of Washington. Not for free anyway. If he don’t re-sign, he’ll get franchise tagged. 

[Lethal]

I’ll take the odds you can keep the evens