The Arthur Smith era came to an end yesterday when the Falcons became the first team to fire their head coach after the season’s final game. It was a tumultuous three years, punctuated by three consecutive 7-10 seasons. Smith was never given a chance with a real quarterback under center, but he only has himself to blame for that, which I imagine will lead to many sleepless nights in the near future.
Next, Arthur Blank and Rich McKay will lead the Falcons’ search for a new head coach. Should that instill confidence in fans? Absolutely not. A failed general manager and a desperate owner who have repeatedly demonstrated their inability to get things done hiring a new coach ahead of a critical offseason is a nightmare scenario. Nobody should be confident that the Falcons will get it right, but at least Arthur Blank is saying the right things about the process.
Many teams prefer to get ahead of the competition by throwing the most money at the hottest name available without thoroughly researching all potential candidates. Blank assured fans yesterday that this is not how the Falcons intend to conduct business this offseason. They are going to take their time with this process, weighing all of their options until they are confident in the guy they hire.
This is only the beginning of what promises to be a thrilling ride. The Falcons’ offseason began with a bang, as they fired Arthur Smith. Expect plenty of rumors about who will be the next head coach, and once the Falcons choose their candidate, the focus will shift to the most important decision of the offseason: who will be Atlanta’s starting quarterback next season?
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Falcons announce key reserve/future signings.
The season is over, and the offseason must begin in earnest. The Atlanta Falcons made it clear that their 2023 performance was unacceptable by firing Arthur Smith and promising to do better, but we’ve heard similar promises before. Getting there requires hiring the right coach and filling out the roster with the right players.
Even though there is no head coach in the building, the team continues to make roster changes. Earlier this week, they signed Austin Mack, a former CFL wide receiver. Yesterday, amidst the end-of-season press conference and the fallout from Smith’s firing, they also signed 13 players to reserve/future contracts, with the hope of providing at least quality competition for the summer, if not critical depth via the roster or practice squad.
As a reminder, futures contracts do not take effect until the new league year and are almost always inexpensive. In the meantime, the Falcons retain team control over these players, but they do not count against the roster or cap until March and the roster expansion that comes with it. This gives teams a head start in stockpiling depth and potential practice squad candidates for the upcoming season.
Atlanta’s group includes both familiar faces and new names. Let’s quickly go through the list.
RB Carlos Washington
You may recall Washington as a roster hopeful from the summer. With Caleb Huntley injured and eventually released, and Avery Williams on the shelf, Washington had a clear path to the fourth running back position until the team brought in the impressive Godwin Igwebuike, who ended up taking that role.
Washington would return to Atlanta’s practice squad, providing young, affordable depth and a physical running style. It remains to be seen whether that remains a fit with what the Falcons will look for under a new head coach, but Washington should be in a good position to land on the practice squad next season.
WR Chris Blair
Atlanta’s shaky wide receiver depth gains a small boost with the additions of Mack and Blair. The 6’2″ former XFLer had a strong season in that league, earning him a look from the Falcons and an extended stint on the practice squad. He’ll look to compete with Mack and Josh Ali, who are currently on the roster, for a deep reserve spot in what will most likely be a completely retooled receiver group behind Drake London.
G Justin Shaffer
Shaffer, a 2022 sixth-round pick who has spent the majority of his Falcons career on the practice squad, will be entering his third season. Shaffer, a mauling run blocker at Georgia who needed time to improve his pass protection, will have to hope the new staff values that combination and gives him a chance to earn a reserve spot on the 53-man roster.
T. Tyler Vrabel
It’s possible that Vrabel, the son of Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel and a player Arthur Smith clearly admires, will accompany either Smith or his father to one of their next stops. He performed better than I expected as an injury replacement for Jake Matthews and will compete for the swing tackle position if he stays here over the summer.
T. Ryan Swoboda
Swoboda, listed at 6’9″ and 315 pounds, is an imposing tackle prospect who has been linked to a number of teams looking for offensive line depth. He’ll face Vrabel, John Leglue, and whoever else the team brings in at tackle.
T John Leglue
Another injury fill-in, Leglue performed admirably in his limited tackle time and is expected to be a factor in the coming months. Atlanta’s decision to sign four players with tackle experience indicates that they want to provide the next coaching staff with plenty of potential depth options at that critical position, particularly given Kaleb McGary’s injury history and Jake Matthews’ age.
T. Barry Wesley
Wesley is an intriguing veteran addition from the XFL who spent the majority of the previous year with the Falcons. He has at least some experience playing most positions on the line. His ideal role on this line would be as a versatile super reserve, assuming he can carve out that type of role.
DE Demone Harris
He had a few big moments this summer while competing for a position in Atlanta, and as a result, he was assigned to the practice squad. He’ll most likely compete for a practice squad spot again, with the Falcons expected to make significant additions at defensive end/EDGE.
DT Willington Previlon
Previlon, one of the new names on this list, was recently released from the Cowboys’ practice squad. The Falcons never seem to be satisfied with their interior defensive line depth, and Previlon provides another option for Atlanta this summer.
LB Milo Eifler
Eifler was signed to the Falcons’ practice squad during the season and appeared in two games, as well as about three dozen special teams snaps. He’ll compete for a position behind Kaden Elliss, Troy Andersen, and Nate Landman.
LB Donavan Mutin
Mutin, a tackling machine in college, is another contender for a reserve linebacker spot and gives Atlanta another option this summer, assuming he stays.
DB Natrone Brooks
Brooks, a physical defensive back who had some strong performances in preseason and training camp this summer, is an intriguing and aggressive player who, with the right coaching staff in place, has a legitimate shot at carving out a deep reserve role in this secondary. He’s one of the most likely candidates on this list to land a role in 2024.
S Lukas Denis
Denis, a ballhawking defensive back in college who played well in the XFL and ended up with the Falcons, has some promise and will compete in a safety group that only has one locked-in player in Jessie Bates, though Richie Grant and DeMarcco Hellams are likely to be present. Without significant additions, he could emerge as the team’s fourth or fifth safety.
