The Atlanta Falcons understand the task at hand this offseason. After missing out on the postseason in 2024, they are seeking to change that in 2025.
There will be multiple avenues for teams to find improvements, and free agency is first on that list. The legal tampering period begins on March 10 at noon EST. Atlanta has a few players hitting the open market, but a report from ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler revealed that center Drew Dalman could cash out in free agency.
Graziano wrote, "The Falcons are prepared to lose center Drew Dalman in free agency. They'd like to have him back but are concerned he can get more money elsewhere."
Fowler added, "Dalman will easily top the free agent center market and should post a strong number. While Creed Humphrey's four-year, $72 million deal is tough to top, Dalman will do very well."
Few QB dominoes:
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 2, 2025
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-Not everyone in league convinced Falcons cut Cousins
-Carson Wentz on Browns radar
-Daniel Jones apears in mix for Vikings https://t.co/25ATmE8lFv
Falcons Rumors: Drew Dalman Expected to Have Robust Market in Free Agency
Dalman was a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and gave them some consistency along the interior. He started in 40 games for the Falcons. The Stanford product has good short area quickness and finishes his blocks in the run game.
Despite missing time due to an ankle injury, Dalman has been one of the best centers in the league during the 2024 season. He had a 78.8 overall grade (4th among 64 eligible centers), 66.6 pass-blocking grade (22nd among 64 eligible centers), and 79.8 run-blocking grade (5th among 64 eligible centers).
Dalman will be the best center on the market and is expected to have a lot of suitors. The highest-paid center in the league is Kansas City's Creed Humphrey, who makes $18 million a year.
While the 26-year-old may not eclipse that mark, he may price himself out of Atlanta. The Falcons are currently five million over the cap per Spotrac, so they don't have that kind of money to outbid other teams.
If Dalman wants to return to the Falcons, he'll likely have to take less money, and that doesn't appear to be the direction things are trending.