Atlanta Falcons open up 2020 NFL Draft holes with Trufant, Freeman cuts
The Falcons cut veteran cornerback, Desmond Trufant, and running back Devonta Freeman. This opens up 2020 NFL Draft holes for them.
With Devonta Freeman and Desmond Trufant being released, the Atlanta Falcons 2016 NFC Championship team feels farther and farther away. The Falcons needed to make these cuts because they are in salary cap hell. They will need to add cheaper players on rookie deals in the 2020 NFL Draft.
With big contracts going to Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Grady Jarrett, and Deion Jones; sacrifices needed to be made elsewhere. Atlanta could not afford to pay Freeman and Trufant anymore.
With Trufant hitting the market, the Falcons have a need at cornerback. Picking at sixteen, they have the opportunity to fill that need right away. LSU’s Kristian Fulton and Florida’s C.J. Henderson will both likely be available after Ohio State Cornerback, Jeffrey Okudah, goes in the top ten. Both of these players can help Atlanta begin to build this defense.
In the summer of 2017, Devonta Freeman signed a five year, $41 Million contract. At the time, Freeman was a promising young back. Now, however, Freeman’s injury history has piled up and the Falcons are cap strapped. Freeman becomes a cap casualty for the Atlanta Falcons as they save over $3 Million by cap space.
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These cuts normally signal a rebuild, however, the Atlanta Falcons are not headed in that direction. Atlanta decided to keep head coach, Dan Quinn, for another season after a promising second half of the season. Atlanta’s best two players are over thirty years old, and with talented players like Jones, Jarrett, and Keanu Neal on the defense, Atlanta will never lose enough games to truly start a rebuild.