Atlanta Falcons: Deliver on Promise to Lock up Devonta Freeman
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Falcons have delivered and locked up their star running back Devonta Freeman. The deal will keep Freeman in Atlanta for five more years past his rookie deal and will make him the highest paid running back in the League.
The Atlanta Falcons have made Devonta Freeman the highest paid running back in the NFL and added five years that will begin after his rookie deal expires at the end of this season. Locking up Freeman was the right move to make and a deal that will more than pay off.
Paying Freeman a total $41.25 million dollars over five years that will begin next season. Freeman missed a key block that arguably lost the Super Bowl for the Falcons but what is often forgotten is that before that is Freeman is a big reason that the Falcons were up in the first place.
Matt Ryan is an elite quarterback that now has one of the best backfields in the NFL again at his disposal for quite some time. Freeman will be paid an average a little over 8-million on the five year deal.
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The deal will keep Freeman in a Falcon’s uniform for six more seasons leaving Freeman at thirty-one when his deal is expiring that is the perfect time to reevaluate a running back considering how many yards Freeman will have on his legs at that point.
Keeping Freeman is the right move for a Falcons franchise that will now have Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman locked in on offense for several more years. Matt Ryan will likely be the next Falcon to be extended long-term.
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The problem for the Falcons may soon be figuring out how to keep all of their young talent on the roster and paid as they are deserved. Watching how this move affects Tevin Coleman will be something to keep an eye on.