Everyone in Atlanta and beyond is aware that Kirk Cousins is entering the 2025 NFL season as one of the most overpaid players in the league. The Falcons will pay him a base salary of $27.5 million to be their backup quarterback next season. While the veteran QB easily has the cushiest job on the team, he is not the only Falcons player who will earn more money than their play warrants.
One offseason signing for the Falcons also has a chance to make Atlanta regret their decision. Veteran pass rusher Leonard Floyd signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Falcons in the spring. The 32-year-old defender is coming off a statistically productive season but has shown clear signs of regression, putting his salary at risk of being a massive overpayment.
Falcons' Leonard Floyd Deal Could Come Back to Bite Them
On one hand, the Falcons were very desperate to add quality pass rushers this offseason. They were also financially restricted and couldn't go after the best free agents available. That is why pursuing an aging veteran like Floyd made sense.
On the other hand, paying Floyd $10 million for next season carries a significant risk and makes one wonder whether the Falcons should have acquired him for less.
As of right now, Floyd has the third-highest guaranteed salary on the team behind Cousins and Kyle Pitts. For him to justify that salary, Floyd has to turn back the clock. He is coming off a career-low pass-rush win rate (8.8%) and a career-low Pro Football Focus defensive grade (53.5).
While he has been remarkably healthy over the years and had an impressive 19 sacks in the last two years, Floyd will turn 33 in September. He will also make more money than the likes of Derek Barnett, Dante Fowler Jr., and Chauncey Golston, who had better seasons in 2024 than he did per PFF.
Falcons fans will have to hope that their new pass rusher somehow plays better in his age-33 season than in his previous two years to be worth the price they pay.