INDIANAPOLIS — Here are 10 quick takeaways from Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot’s meeting with media members at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday:
1. Kirk Cousins’ situation: The Falcons contended that Cousins is their backup quarterback, but slowly are coming to grips with the fact that they may have to release him. “We have to do what’s right for the Falcons,” Fontenot said.
Cousins is set to count $40 million against the salary cap, with $65 million in dead money. The Falcons can release him with a post-June 1 designation, which would give them a $40 million dead-money hit in 2025 and $25 million in 2026.
“Nothing has changed with Kirk at this point,” Fontenot said earlier. “Our stance is the same as it was at the end of the season with Kirk.”
2. Getting under the salary: The Falcons still have some work to do to get under the salary cap by the new NFL business year. Fontenot said those moves and talks are ongoing.
“That’s what we’ve been spending a lot of time on. It starts with our roster and looking at every contract, whether a player has several years left on their contract, whether a player has an expiring contract,” Fontenot said. “Which contracts you want to restructure. What contracts you want to extend. What players you can’t bring back.”
3. Cutting some veterans: In addition to cutting Cousins, the Falcons have some tough decisions on defensive tackle Grady Jarrett ($20.3 salary-cap number), defensive tackle David Onyemata ($16.9 million), kicker Younghoe Koo ($5.5 million) and tight end Kyle Pitts ($10.8 million).
Fontenot would not call Jarrett, one of the more decorated players on the roster, an “untouchable” player.
He again defaulted to his, “We have to do what’s right for the Falcons” line.
4. Getting ready for free agency: The Falcons’ key free agent is center Drew Dalman.
Dalman said he wanted to return, but will command some major interests if he hits the free-agent market. The Falcons are set to meet with his agent Steve Caric later in the week.
“Drew is (an unrestricted free agent),” Fontenot said. “So, we know he’s a really good player. He’s been a big part of our offensive line for a long time, but like Drew or any other unrestricted agent, we have to have those conversations in time.”
Fontenot said no decisions have been made on free-agent safety Justin Simmons, who wants to return, and outside linebacker Matthew Judon.
The agent for Jarrett and Simmons, Todd France, told Zach Klein of Channel 2 Action News that he will be meeting with the Falcons to discuss Jarrett’s status, and he assumed that Simmons would not be re-signed and would be “testing the (free agency) waters.)
5. Pro Bowler Hodge: The Falcons are expected to come up with the money to keep wide receiver/special-teams maven KhaDarel Hodge.
“We’re having all of those discussions,” Fontenot said. “That’s the critical part right now. It starts with our roster. We’ll make sure we make the right decisions. Get in a good place with the cap. Then we have to make the right decisions in free agency.”
6. Falcons to have defensive draft: None of the Falcons' assistant offensive coaches will attend the combine. The Falcons are using all 45 of their interviews on defensive players.
7. Scouting combine: The Falcons have started to meet with players from Georgia. They had four hours of interviews Monday evening. There are 14 players from Georgia, two from Georgia Tech and 25 players who played at Georgia high schools at the draft.
8. Cousins injury announcement: The Falcons have had conversations” with Kirk Cousins about his “injury” announcement Feb. 4. But Fontenot said those conversations would remain “private.”
The league declined to comment to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on if the Falcons were being investigated for a possible injury-reporting rules violation.
9. Draft: The Falcons currently have five picks in the draft, which will be held April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Falcons have the 15th overall pick in the first round, but could be looking to trade back and amass picks.
The Falcons traded their third-round pick to Patriots in the Judon deal and lost their fifth-round pick in the tampering case.
10. Draft needs: The Falcons will continue their search for pass-rush and secondary help. Fontenot believes the draft is deep with edge rushers.
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