The Atlanta Falcons made it to the NFC Championship back in 2013 with much thanks to Tony Gonzalez. The tight end was a consistent safety blanket for quarterback Matt Ryan as his production on the field is what helped push to offense alongside Julio Jones and Roddy White. Gonzalez's retirement left a huge hole on the field for Atlanta and has yet to be filled for the past two seasons. With free agency right around the corner, is a tight end at the top of the team's wishlist?
Levine Toilolo is simply not cutting it as a starting tight end. The Falcons have been limited in their passing across the middle of the field because the tight end is not consistent enough for Ryan to trust him. With Dan Quinn in at head coach and Kyle Shanahan taking over offensive duties, personnel changes are expected and quickly as the Falcons will make a splash in free agency with a tight end a priority.
There are several quality tight ends hitting the market in March which is why it is smarter for Atlanta to grab one in free agency rather than draft a rookie. According to SBNation's The Falconholic, Julius Thomas and Jordan Cameron are the favorites to hit the roster.
The long-shot option if Denver's Julius Thomas who became a top target for Peyton Manning and is now looking to get his pay check. Thomas is the first tight end in NFL history to have at least 12 touchdowns in back-toback seasons even though his receiving yards were down in 2014. Thomas would be a solid acquisition, but a costly one. The reason many believe he is exiting Denver is because his contract demands will be too high to meet. The Falcons could have trouble giving in to them as well considering a mega deal for Julio Jones is expected.
Jordan Cameron is the affordable option for Atlanta. The Cleveland Browns tight end reportedly has no intentions of re-signing back with his former team and will hit the market. Despite injuries in 2014, Cameron is just 26 with a good future ahead of him. He racked up seven touchdowns and almost 1,000 yards back in 2013 when he earned a Pro Bowl nod. Working with the arm of Ryan could bring Cameron back.
Signing a big-named tight end likely means someone on offense is a salary cap casualty. Both Steven Jackson and Harry Douglas could learn that the hard way. The Jackson experiment has failed in Atlanta while Douglas is a $3.5 million cap hit and expendable with the likes of Eric Weems. The Falcons are predicted to move on from Jackson while it there is only a very slim chance Douglas is removed.
