TAMPA, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 29: Austin Hooper #81 of the Atlanta Falcons runs with the ball after a reception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Atlanta Falcons are in a bad way when it comes to the salary cap, but some keen moves could give them enough room to make it work and put them back on the right track towards contention.
As of this writing, the Atlanta Falcons have a total of $5.4 million in cap space. That is before free agency, the NFL Draft, and any possible trades they make this offseason. It’s a terrible spot to be in. Around $3 million of that is going to their first-round pick, whoever they take at 16th-overall in April.
However, they have some options. They will likely cut Keanu Neal, who’s coming off consecutive season-ending injuries. This time it was a torn Achilles, which maybe indicates he’s not coming back the same. They could save another $3.5 million by cutting defensive end Allen Bailey. Luke Stocker, Matt Schaub and Damontae Kazee would save them another $6.7 million.
If the Falcons make all those moves, They magically come up with $23 million in cap space. That’s enough to at least make some moves to free agency, but major moves are still out of the question. That’s what happens when you’re paying the quarterback, a star wide receiver and a monster left tackle. Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Jake Matthews are taking up $60 million of the Falcons’ cap space.
We see the Falcons doing everything they can to put last season behind them. It was such a collapse that set them back, and now they’re going to give this one more shot with head coach Dan Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff. These free agents are worth watching.