There are very few teams in the NFL with more difficult offseason decisions to make than the Atlanta Falcons. Not only are the Falcons already way over the cap, but they also have multiple key starters hitting free agency.
Drew Dalman, Lorenzo Carter, Eddie Goldman, Mike Hughes, and Justin Simmons are among the starters hitting unrestricted free agency, and the team would presumably want to hold onto a few of them.
There is no way the Falcons can fit all of these names into their salary structure. That is why they need to part ways with a few veterans with hefty price tags to open up cap space.
One of those veterans who could be a cap casualty for the Falcons is Grady Jarrett. In fact, his agent, Todd France, wasn't particularly confident in Jarrett staying in Atlanta going forward, per Zach Klein of WSB Atlanta.
In Indy at the NFL Combine:
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) February 25, 2025
Spoke with Todd France (@toddfrance_ on IG) Atlanta based agent and partner at @AthletesFirst
On Falcons DT Grady Jarrett:
"Grady is an Atlanta Falcon right now, so we'll see where that goes. I'm sure I'll be with Atlanta while I'm here and we'll… pic.twitter.com/E8ubqsjdEe
Falcons Rumors: Grady Jarrett May Be A Cap Casualty
France said that Jarrett is an Atlanta Falcon right now but "we'll see where that goes". He added that they will be in Atlanta to discuss the ten-year veteran's future.
The two-time Pro Bowler and fan favorite is set to have a cap hit of $20 million next season. If the Falcons release him, they would save $16.25 million for next season. Only a little over $4 million would remain on the books.
For a team in desperate need of financial flexibility, that is hard to turn down. The Falcons will presumably look for trades involving Jarrett, but if that proves difficult, they will almost certainly consider cutting him.
Jarrett's importance for the team is bigger than his on-field contributions. He is a leader and has a vocal locker room presence. At the same time, the team needs to get younger and less expensive. With recent draft picks Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus waiting for their turn on the interior, maybe the Falcons will feel like it's time to move on from Jarrett. Whether they go that route or find other cost-cutting measures remains to be seen.