The Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has the unenviable job of revamping the roster this offseason. Doing so with no cap space and a ton of key starters hitting free agency will be a tough task.
One position that will likely look very different next season is the cornerback rotation. Mike Hughes and Dee Alford are pending free agents. Depth pieces Antonio Hamilton Sr. and Kevin King also had their contracts expire after the 2024 season.
While Hughes is likely a priority for the Falcons to bring back, the team needs to make cost-cutting moves to fill out the rest of their roster. With that goal in mind, they have to make tough decisions and sign contributors to team-friendly contracts.
One such contributor is a former player of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. After returning to the Falcons following his four seasons with the Jets, Ulbrich can bring a veteran starter to Atlanta in free agency.
Per Jets insider Connor Hughes, cornerback D.J. Reed is not expected to re-sign in New York. When he hits unrestricted free agency, the Falcons are an obvious fit for the 28-year-old.
CB DJ Reed not expected to re-sign with the Jets, per @Connor_J_Hughes.
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) March 2, 2025
Falcons Should Pursue CB D.J. Reed in Free Agency
Reed had a successful three-year stint with the Jets after signing a three-year, $33 million deal in the 2022 offseason. He consistently put up over 70.0 defense and coverage grades on Pro Football Focus and hasn't missed considerable time to injury over the last couple of seasons.
While reuniting Reed and Ulbrich makes some sense on paper, the financial aspect of the move remains in question. The Falcons don't have the resources to break the bank, and if Reed requires an annual salary in eight figures once again, that may prove too costly for Atlanta.
The Falcons were a bottom-ten defense last season. They are hoping to take a step forward next season. Reed is the exact type of consistent and proven defender they need. Whether they have the means to acquire him remains to be seen.