Cover 9@9: Should Falcons re-sign Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons?

Decisions. Decisions.

“You start with your team first,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Monday when I asked him about free agency. “That’s what we’re going to do this week. End-of-season evaluations and you get a chance to talk about all of your guys coming back, whether they’re injured or whether they’re on the team and healthy.”

After the evaluations, the Falcons will have some information to use to make their decisions. There’s also the matter of what to do with quarterback Kirk Cousins and his contract.

“You get a chance to evaluate those guys and kind of have a 360 all around about our players,” Morris said. “And then obviously that opens up into (unrestricted free agents) next, and then obviously to our college draft and so on.”

Dalman said that he wanted to return to the Falcons.

“It’s been an awesome experience, and I hope it continues and all of that,” Dalman said. “Playing with incredible teammates over the years and having incredible coaches. I’ve enjoyed it and savored every bit of it.”

Dalman has enjoyed working with offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford.

“He’s awesome,” Dalman said. “First and foremost, great coach and then being in the meeting room with him every day. We spend an insane amount of time with each other. He makes that a pleasure.”

Dalman missed eight games with an ankle injury, likely a high ankle sprain. Ryan Neuzil filled in admirably and is slated to become a restricted free agent.

If the Falcons don’t have enough money for Dalman, would they be comfortable moving forward with Neuzil?

Dalman was selected in the fourth round (114th overall) in the 2021 draft out of Stanford. He has started 40 games and played in 57 games over four seasons.

Dalman had time to watch while out with the ankle injury.

“You’re never really a finished product in my mind,” Dalman said of his takeaway from that time out. “You’re kind of always working on everything. Pass (protection) can be better. Run game can be better. All of those things. It’s hard to distill one takeaway, but just thankful to play with the guys I played with, and I had a great time.”

Judon accepted the trade to the Falcons and played out the last year of his four-year, $54.5 million contract. He was noncommittal Monday when asked if he wanted to return. He is represented by former Georgia Tech quarterback Damarius Bilbo.

Judon started 15 of 17 games and had 41 tackles, 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. He returned his first interception for a 27-yard touchdown against the Giants in Week 17.

Simmons, who signed a one-year deal worth $8 million, started 16 games and had two interceptions, 62 tackles, seven pass breakups and two tackles for loss.

“Man, I love it in Atlanta,” Simmons said. “I think things are trending in the right direction.”

Simmons believes the Falcons will be fine moving forward.

“I just feel like things are trending in the right direction,” Simmons said. “And there’s a lot to take away from it, man. But the locker room is unique, and there’s really great leadership here. Yeah, this place is in good hands.”

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Here are the players headed for free agency:

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

-Natrone Brooks, cornerback (Not listed by the team)

-Lorenzo Carter, outside linebacker

-Drew Dalman, center

-Ross Dwelley, tight end

-Rashaan Evans, linebacker (Not listed by the team)

-Ta’Quon Graham, defensive tackle

-Richie Grant, safety

-Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle

-Antonio Hamilton Sr., cornerback

-Demone Harris, outside linebacker

-KhaDarel Hodge, wide receiver

-Mike Hughes, cornerback

-Matthew Judon, outside linebacker

-Kevin King, cornerback

-Rondale Moore, wide receiver

-Storm Norton, offensive tackle

-Brandon Parker, offensive tackle

-Riley Patterson, kicker

-Justin Simmons, safety

-James Smith-Williams, outside linebacker

-Kentavius Street, defensive tackle

-Elijah Wilkinson, offensive guard

-Avery Williams, returner

-Josh Woods, linebacker

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

-Dee Alford, nickel back

-Harrison Hand, cornerback

-Kyle Hinton, guard

-Nate Landman, inside linebacker

-Liam McCullough, long snapper

-Ryan Neuzil, center

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS

-Micah Abernathy, safety

-Robert Burns, running back

2. Allgeier moved up: Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier rushed nine times for 52 yards against the Panthers. He moved past Tevin Coleman (2,340) into the 11th spot on the team’s all-time rushing list, with 2,362 yards.

He rushed 137 times for 644 yards for three touchdowns this season. He had 356 of his yards after contact. He had seven broken tackles, which was down from the 15 he had last season.

3. McCloud has career year: Wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, who has bounced around the NFL since he was taken in the sixth round of the 2018 draft, had a strong season with the Falcons and set several career-highs.

He caught 62 of 87 targets (71.3%) for 686 yards and a touchdown. He converted 29 first downs. He also had 10 rushes for 79 yards and converted three first downs.

He started 13 of 17 games played for the Falcons.

The 42-yard catch he had against the Panthers, tied for the second-longest of his career.

4. Team’s tackling leader: Last season, safety Jessie Bates III led the team in tackles with 132. That’s a heavy workload for a safety.

The Falcons’ front seven was improved, and not as many plays got back to Bates, who finished with 102 tackles.

Linebacker Kaden Elliss was the team’s top tackler with 150.

Bates also had four interceptions and four forced fumbles.

5. Important offseason dates: Here’s what the offseason calendar looks like for the Falcons:

-Jan. 30: East-West Shrine Bowl. Arlington, Texas.

-Feb. 1: Senior Bowl. Mobile, Alabama.

-Feb. 18: Beginning this date through 4 p.m., on March 4, clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players.

-Feb. 24 through March 3: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.

-March 4: Prior to 4 p.m., deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

-March 10-12: Free-agent negotiation period.

-March 12: The 2025 league year and trading and free agency signing period begin at 4 p.m.

-March 30 to April 2: Annual League Meeting, Palm Beach, Florida.

-April 16: Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at its team facility.

-April 21: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

-April 24-26: NFL Draft. Green Bay, Wisconsin.

-May 1: Deadline for fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2020 draft. (Drake London, Falcons)

-May 2-5 or May 9-12: Teams can hold one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp on one of two weekends following the draft.

-June: Mandatory Minicamp

-Late July: Start of training camp

6. Draft position: After finishing 8-9 on the season, the Falcons will pick 15th overall in the NFL draft, April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Falcons, Dolphins, Cardinals and Colts all finished 8-9. The Dolphins are set to pick 13th, Colts 14th, Falcons 15th and Cardinals 16th in the first round. The order is determined by the record, with strength of schedule as the first tiebreaker.

The first 18 picks are locked in. The remaining 14 playoff teams will round out the draft order, which will be determined by the results in the postseason.

The Falcons have five total picks this year. They selected five players in the 2006 draft and only six players in 2003. Their five picks this coming draft include a first-, second-, fourth- and two seventh-round picks.

They traded their third-round pick to the Patriots for outside linebacker Matthew Judon and lost their fifth-round pick because of tampering violations surrounding the signings of free agents Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney and Charlie Woerner. The Falcons traded the sixth-round pick to the Rams to acquire wide receiver Van Jefferson in 2023. Jefferson no longer is with the team.

The Falcons picked up a seventh-round pick when they traded Taylor Heinicke to the Chargers on Aug. 28.

The Falcons’ draft needs include edge rushers, center (if they don’t re-sign Drew Dalman), defensive line, linebacker and safety.

The Falcons have picked in the top 10 in each of the past four drafts.

7. NFL draft order (first 18 picks)

1. Titans

2. Browns

3. Giants

4. Patriots

5. Jaguars

6. Raiders

7. Jets

8. Panthers

9. Saints

10. Bears

11. 49ers

12. Cowboys

13. Dolphins

14. Colts

15. Falcons

16. Cardinals

17. Bengals

18. Seahawks

8. Reserve/Future signings: The Falcons signed 13 players, including 11 from their practice squad, to reserve/futures contracts Monday and Tuesday.

Reserve/futures contracts do not count against the roster limit or the salary cap until the new league business year starts March 12.

The Falcons signed former practice squanders in defensive tackle Junior Aho, wide receiver Phillip Dorsett II, running back Elijah Dotson, wide receiver Dylan Drummond, offensive guard Jovaughn Gwyn, cornerback Lamar Jackson, quarterback Emory Jones, defensive end Khalid Kareem, wide receiver Jesse Matthews, defensive back Benny Sapp III and offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

The Falcons also signed guard Joey Fisher, who was with the Steelers during the 2024 exhibition season. He also spent time with the 49ers and Browns.

The Falcons added wide receiver Makai Polk, a former Mississippi State player, who’s spent time with the Ravens, Giants and with Toronto in the Canadian Football League, on Tuesday.

9. Opponents for 2025: The Falcons’ opponents for the 2025 season were finalized late Sunday after Detroit beat Minnesota in the regular-season finale.

After losing 44-38 to the Panthers in overtime, the Falcons finished in second place in the NFC South and means they’ll face Washington from the NFC East, Indianapolis from the AFC South and Minnesota from the NFC North.

The Falcons will play the NFC West and the AFC East.

Here are the home opponents: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle, Bills, Dolphins and Washington.

The away opponents: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Arizona, New England, New York Jets, San Francisco, Minnesota and Indianapolis.

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP