The Atlanta Falcons didn't receive the best news this week, as Jalon Walker will miss the season after tearing his ACL in practice. There were expectations that Walker wouldmake even more of an impact goinginto his second season, but he'll have to pump the brakes for a year as he goes into recovery mode.
It's always tough when injuries like this happen, but the team has to keep moving forward. Luckily for the Falcons, they were able to add more help along the defensive line during the offseason, but with Walker's injury, that still might not be enough.
That means the Falcons' best bet is to go into the free agent market once again and try tosign a pass rusherwho hasn't been picked up yet, and there are three options they should have their eyes on.
Hasson Reddick
Hasson Reddick played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, so it's safe to say he's familiar with the NFC South. He finished with 31 total tackles and 2.5 sacks, which shows that he didn't make the biggest difference for the Buccaneers, but did enough to make an impact here and there.
It's also important to note that Reddick is seen as more of a veteran linebacker at this point in his career, and you shouldn't expect big numbers from him. That's fine for the Falcons, and their goal should be to just keep adding depth at the position, and it makes it even better that Reddick is a proven veteran in the league. They won't need him for every snap, which could make him even more valuable when he's on the field.
Leonard Floyd
Leonard Floyd is a familiar face for the Falcons after playing with the team last season. He finished the year with 19 total tackles and 3.5 sacks, adding to the 57 sacks the team collected in total, which was second-best in the league. The best thing about possibly signing Floyd is that he already knows the system that Jeff Ulbrich runs, so it won't be too much to teach him anything new.
Floyd actually started for the Falcons on the edge last season until Walker and James Pearce Jr. started coming along in their rookie seasons. It wouldn't be a surprise if Floyd found himself back with the team if they want to add more depth to the team.
Joey Bosa
This might be the biggest long shot, but it's worth a try for the Falcons. Joey Bosa is probably the best edge remaining on the free agent market, and there's reason to believe why he's still unsigned. There's a good chance that Bosa could be stepping away from football, as his brother, Nick Bosa, recently noted that he was focusing on things other than the game.
There's no doubt that Bosa could help the Falcons get to the quarterback, and if he's still looking to play football, the Falcons should be on his line looking to sign him. Last season with the Buffalo Bills, Bosa finished with 29 total tackles and five sacks.
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