Falcons’ Terry Fontenot, Raheem Morris dive deeper into key offseason

The Falcons have the Kirk Cousins issue to handle and then they can move on to handling their own free agents, which include center Drew Dalman, safety Justin Simmons and outside linebacker Matthew Judon. As of last week, the Judon camp had not heard from the Falcons.

Free agency is the first part of the equation to improving the roster.

“You start with your team first,” Fontenot said earlier this offseason. “End-of-season evaluations and you get a chance to talk about all you guys coming back, whether they’re injured or whether they’re on the team and healthy.”

That period is over. Now, it’s on to the decision-making process.

“Then obviously that opens up into (unrestricted free agents) next and then obviously to our college draft,” Fontenot said. “Obviously the undrafted free agents after that and all the ways to acquire talent and acquire players and those things are being done.”

The coaches have been involved in the evaluation process.

“That’s all collaborated with obviously Terry and his team and (vice president of football operations/player personnel) Ryan Pace and (assistant general manager) Kyle (Smith) and all the guys that are involved with that and Tumbo (director of college scouting Tokunbo Abanikanda) and everybody that’s able to give us information,” Morris said earlier this offseason.

The scouts have been catching the coaches up on the work they’ve been doing evaluating the players from over the course of the college football season.

“And then we’ll get a chance to collaborate at different moments of the segments of the year based on the calendar,” Morris said. “When we can have a chance to get together and really talk about those guys and harness the information to find out what culture fits and what is the Falcon (model) and how they can be involved and put into our situation.”

This will be Morris and Fontenot’s second offseason working together.

“I think it’s nothing better than getting to know your general manager, their team, as well as we were able to do last year,” Morris said. “Being able to sit in those rooms and have those conversations and be able to talk about the likes, the what’s we’re looking for, all the things that we go through has been awesome. Now, this year we’ll get more time to do that.”

The Falcons will focus on helping the defense this offseason.

“This is the time when you build,” Morris said. “This is the time when you get together. It’s the time where you identify things and be able to help us go out there and be the best person of ourselves. So, like this time is very important for us.”

The Falcons benched Cousins last season and gave Penix the final three starts. The Falcons have an offseason plan for him to improve as he starts to takeover at the position.

The position finally is settled after the Falcons tried to trade for Deshaun Watson over the 2021 offseason. They’ve since had Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder and Cousins as the starting quarterback.

“Growth mindset, time on task with his guys and making sure he has the ability to go out there and find ways to make himself better every single day,” Morris said. “While he’s getting better with his guys and having the ability to forge his identity. What we’re going to look like on offense and how we’re going to move forward.”

The Falcons were hoping to delay passing the baton to Penix. But Cousins’ poor play after a 6-3 start, forced their hand. Cousins has since claimed that he was injured last season.

“Like, this young man is in a growing state, and he loves it,” Morris said of Penix. “He loves football. He’s as poised as it gets. He’s fired up as it gets. He sees the game well, and he gives us all a little bit of excitement when you get a chance to coach him.”

KEY OFFSEASON DATES

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

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

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

-March 10-12: Legal free agent negotiating 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 club 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: Beginning of training camp