Another year, a new coaching staff and so many of the same questions around how the Atlanta Falcons will handle free agency and the reshaping of the roster.
This isn't to say Atlanta's roster isn't improved from when general manager Terry Fontenot and former head coach Arthur Smith took over in January 2021. It is. Massively so. But as the Falcons go through their first free agency with new head coach Raheem Morris, concerns continue at the same positions for a variety of reasons -- age, failed experiments and short-term contracts.
"The way we go through this process, whether we're talking about free agency, whether we're talking about the draft, we want to add good football players that fit the makeup," Fontenot said. "Look, when we're sitting here last year at this time, you may not have thought that we're going to go after a safety in free agency."
Signing Jessie Bates III became one of the best free agency signings in the league last year, as Bates became a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro. So where might Atlanta look in free agency this year? A week from now, we'll know a lot more as Atlanta has nearly $40 million in cap space, according to Roster Management System.
Quarterback
Until Atlanta makes a move here, it'll be the main point of conversations. It's that simple, because so many other decisions will spin off this one.
"It's a competitive urgency because of the roster that we have," Morris said. "We can be competitive very quickly if we're able to pick the right person."
Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke remain under contract, although we'll see how long it remains static. Atlanta will owe Heinicke a $1.32 million roster bonus if he's on the team the fifth day of the new league year -- March 17 -- and save an extra $6.96 million against the cap if he's released, according to Roster Management System.
In free agency, the two biggest names -- Minnesota's Kirk Cousins and Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield -- both have ties to Atlanta's staff.
Cousins is a fit for the Los Angeles Rams-style offense the Falcons will likely employ this year and the most accomplished starter available for a team believing it's close to being a contender. Atlanta's assistant general manager, Kyle Smith, was with Washington throughout Cousins' tenure there. The biggest question with Cousins would be his recovery from the right Achilles injury he suffered in October.
Mayfield played for the Rams the last five weeks of the 2022 season when Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson were on staff. There is a familiarity if he doesn't re-sign with Tampa Bay. Mayfield's biggest question would be consistency as a career 61.9% passer with 130 touchdowns and 74 interceptions.
After that, it gets interesting. Russell Wilson is available and could be signed for cheap in 2024 due to the offsets in his deal with the Denver Broncos, but there isn't an obvious connection. If Atlanta decides it wants to pursue a rookie in the draft -- which may require moving up from its No. 8 spot -- starter/backup options like Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and Joe Flacco could make sense to pair with a rookie.
Receiver
Atlanta once again will be looking for pass-catchers. It has a clear No. 1 option in third-year pro Drake London, but London is also the only receiver the Falcons have under contract for 2024 who caught a pass for the Falcons last season.
Mack Hollins, Scott Miller, KhaDarel Hodge and Van Jefferson are all free agents. The potential for one of these players to return is possible, especially since Hollins and Hodge had key special teams roles under retained coordinator Marquice Williams, but this room likely will look different.
"You've got to have the ability to add across from Drake London," Morris said. "You're gonna have the ability to add to be able to help all across the board."
Former Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley, who the club traded to Jacksonville in 2022, is the top available receiver in the class after a 76-catch, 1,016-yard and eight touchdown season. Morris and Ridley have familiarity from their prior work in Atlanta since Morris was Ridley's position coach in 2018 and 2019. However, Ridley was suspended for gambling, eventually leading Atlanta to trade him to Jacksonville. So it's not clear if a reunion would be sensible.
Olamide Zaccheaus, from a depth perspective, is another former Falcons receiver with ties to Morris from Atlanta.
Robinson was with the Rams when Detroit's Josh Reynolds played in Los Angeles in 2019 and 2020 and both Robinson and Morris were with Odell Beckham Jr. with the Rams in 2021. Brandon Powell played under Morris in 2020 in Atlanta and with the Rams in 2021 and 2022 when Morris and Robinson were in Los Angeles. Jamison Crowder played under Atlanta receivers coach Ike Hilliard in Washington -- where his quarterback was Cousins -- but at age 31 would likely be a depth player if Atlanta pursued him.
Defensive line/edge rusher
Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree are free agents, and in Campbell's case, it's not clear whether he'll play at all in 2024.
But out of the 3-4 base defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake wants to run, Atlanta will have to add talent. Grady Jarrett is coming off a torn ACL and the Falcons also bring back David Onyemata, Zach Harrison and Ta'Quon Graham on the defensive line.
On the edge, Atlanta returns Arnold Ebiketie, who showed potential last season, and have veteran Lorenzo Carter entering the last year of his contract. Atlanta also has DeAngelo Malone and Ade Ogundeji returning as picks from Fontenot's first three drafts.
A'Shawn Robinson, who played under Morris with the Rams in 2021 and 2022, has familiarity with the staff. Austin Johnson was a starter with the Chargers the last two years on the defensive line under now-Falcons defensive line coach Jay Rodgers. Marcus Davenport was a first-round pick by the Saints in 2018 when Fontenot was in the front office, so there's a familiarity there as well.
Cornerback
First, do the Falcons extend A.J. Terrell heading into the last year of his contract, much like the club did with right guard Chris Lindstrom last season? The timing came on the cusp of the new league year then, so will Atlanta lock up its No. 1 corner to his hometown team for the foreseeable future is the biggest question.
If so, it changes how the Falcons might approach the position. Jeff Okudah is an unrestricted free agent, but the Falcons used rookie Clark Phillips III as the starter opposite Terrell by season's end. If Atlanta feels comfortable with Phillips III as the team's No. 2 corner, then it will be depth plays at the position.
If not, the Falcons might dip into free agency for a starter.
Ahkello Witherspoon had a career year with the Rams last year under Morris and Lake with 52 tackles, 14 passes defensed and three interceptions. Keisean Nixon could be an interesting player for Atlanta, too. He played in Green Bay in 2022 under Atlanta assistant head coach Jerry Gray and last year for new Falcons secondary coach Justin Hood -- including starting 13 games for the Packers last year. Nixon also could be a Cordarrelle Patterson replacement as a kick returner, solving a second issue as well.
Atlanta does have some depth returning. Mike Hughes comes back on the final year of his contract -- although the Falcons will save $3.095 million if they release him -- and Dee Alford is under contract as well.
Atlanta's own free agents
The Falcons already brought back center Ryan Neuzil, who was an exclusive rights free agent. Some of the team's key potential free agents are Campbell, Dupree, Okudah, Patterson, the receiver grouping, offensive tackle Storm Norton and fullback Keith Smith.
Campbell was the most productive player -- and had the biggest role by the end of the season -- of the group. But considering a fairly thin class of their own free agents, Atlanta may look elsewhere to add to the roster.
ESPN reporter Marc Raimondi contributed to this report.