The Atlanta Falcons have been active since the start of free agency, using this opportunity to bring in some fresh faces -- like safety Jordan Fuller, EDGE Leonard Floyd and defensive tackle Morgan Fox -- to hopefully help this team finally get back to the playoffs.
A consequence of Atlanta bringing in several new players, however, is there's quite a few veterans from the 2024 roster left looking for their next homes, as their replacements have already been inked or will soon be selected through this week's NFL Draft.
There's one Falcons free agent, in particular, who looks like he'll be waiting quite a while before he lands a deal for the 2025 season.
Talking to teams, the positions that are going to fly off the board:
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 20, 2025
OT (poor depth after top 4-5)
TE ("safe" picks in uneven class)
DE (6 in Rd 1)
CB (back half of Rd 1 run, big drop off to 2nd tier)
Falcons Free Agent Ross Dwelley Left Out in Cold as Draft Approaches
Atlanta tight end Ross Dwelley remains available in free agency, which appears to signal a lack of interest around the league. This is notable considering Dwelley appeared in all 17 games for the Falcons in 2024, so that makes him stand out from other vets coming off injuries or who haven't logged a full season in years.
However, franchises may be skepitcal if Dwelley really made much an impact despite that playing time. After all, he only logged a single reception all season in Atlanta, marking his second straight campaign with a lone catch to his name.
Though Dwelley is more of a blocking specialist, teams are looking for more out of their tight ends in the modern NFL. Yet his involvement as a receiver is going down as he ages, and he's now heading into the over-30 part of his career.
It'd be difficult for Dwelley's appeal to be any less as a 30-year-old, blocking-focused tight end with two catches over his last 29 games. Especially when the 2025 draft class is touted as one of the strongest at Dwelley's position in recent memory.
ESPN has a whopping 19 tight ends ranked in their top-300, which means a majority should hear their names called while several others latch on as undrafted free agents, like Dwelley once did.
With the looming infusion of TE talent fast approaching, that makes it even more difficult for a dinosaur like Dwelley to not be left behind.