The Atlanta Falcons announced on Mar. 17 that they have signed 11 free agents as part of their efforts to strengthen the team under new head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Ian Cunningham.
The Falcons are aiming to improve their roster depth and add experienced players who can contribute immediately. This approach is seen as important in a long NFL season, where injuries are common and teams need reliable talent throughout the lineup.
“We really went into this free agency looking to elevate our floor,” Ian Cunningham said. “Adding depth pieces, but also players that have had starting experience that could start and that have shown that they’re able to start in this league. … We’re happy that we were able to get the players that we were able to acquire the last few days. We were really looking for value across the fronts and throughout the roster.”
Some of the new signings include wide receiver Jahan Dotson and defensive end Azeez Ojulari, both former high draft picks, as well as undrafted free agent Chris Williams and sixth-round pick Corey Levin, who have connections with members of the coaching staff. The team has focused on financially responsible deals, with many contracts lasting only one year, according to Spotrac. Cunningham said, “Giving guys a chance to come here, compete, play meaningful snaps to potentially help them in their career, but also, most importantly, help us this season. That definitely went into some of the decision-making and quite frankly, just the limited cap space that we had, we had to be strategic with some of those moves.”
The Falcons finished third in their division last season despite having the same record as two other teams due to tiebreaker rules. The NFC South is known for its close competition among teams like Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Atlanta Falcons compete in the National Football League’s NFC South division according to the official website. The team is based in Atlanta, Georgia according to the official website and began as an expansion franchise in 1965 according to the official website. They have advanced to the Super Bowl twice—in 1998 and 2016—according to the official website, with Freddie the Falcon serving as their mascot according to the official website.
Cunningham concluded by saying: “For the fans, I’m excited. We all are excited. We feel like we got better this week. Like I said, we’ve elevated our floor, but we’ve also got players that are coming in here ready to prove themselves, to showcase their ability and help our team for the now and in the future.”