Should Atlanta Be Interested In Gerald McCoy?
By Deke Lloyd
This evening, in a surprise move, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers release Gerald McCoy. The Falcons could take a chance on McCoy, similarly to how Dontari Poe’s deal in 2017. Should the Falcons take the risk?
BREAKING: DT Gerald McCoy has been informed by the Bucs of their plans to release him after nine seasons. The team decided not to pay him the $13-million salary he was owed for 2019.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) May 20, 2019
The Bucs are releasing the six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, mainly for the 13 million dollar price tag McCoy is carrying into the upcoming season. This move has everything to do with the money and not the waning abilities of Gerald McCoy. Yes, McCoy is getting older, he turned 31 in February, but I don’t think McCoy can expect a long-term deal at this point of his career. McCoy’s recorded six sacks in his last two seasons, but his QB hits stayed above twenty in the last two seasons, a stat the Falcons lacked at. McCoy may not be getting a long-term deal, but he’s a player who can still make a lot of money for a year of service. That is something the Falcons should be curious about.
Former Buccaneers' DT Gerald McCoy wants to sign with a playoff contender, and of course make money. But he wants to win. Spots that would make sense include the Browns, the Patriots, the Chargers, the Jaguars, and the Cowboys amongst others.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 20, 2019
Atlanta doesn’t have a lot of cap space to go make moves, but that doesn’t mean the Falcons can’t make something work if both sides were interested. There isn’t a shortage of expensive, aging defensive lineman on the open market. Ndamukong Suh, a player who came into the league in the same draft as McCoy, is still available. The Falcons could have made a move if they had wanted. But Suh never seemed like a fit for the Falcons. The same can’t be said for Gerald McCoy. Suh has been rumored as a player with a lot of talent that picks and chooses his spots. McCoy is a guy who works hard and has the talent to back it up, as the Falcons have seen for the last 9 seasons. McCoy would be a great fit for the Falcons if the team could make it work.