Even though things didn’t work out with Kirk Cousins, the Atlanta Falcons are projected to still have one of the NFL’s best offenses next season. That’s because the Falcons have put together a significant amount of skill players over the last few seasons, including new quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
That said, this will be an interesting free agency for Atlanta. Not only do they have to trim down their cap space, which is currently sitting at -$5.2 million, per Over The Cap, but they may also be set to lose one of their best offensive players in the process.
The list of restricted and unrestricted free agents for the Falcons heading into the offseason is long, but center Drew Dalman is probably at the top of it.
NFL teams are always looking for experienced offensive linemen, and Dalman brings plenty of it with 57 career games and 40 starts under his belt. If the Falcons don’t find a way to bring him back next season, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz predicts Dalman will sign with the Houston Texans.
The Houston interior offensive line completely imploded in 2024, and incumbent starting center Juice Scruggs was near the bottom of the league with an 89.8% pass block win rate,” Schatz wrote. “Dalman would stabilize the middle of that line and will turn 27 next season. He started only nine games this past season because of an ankle injury but had a 95.1% pass block win rate when healthy. In 2023, his 94.0% PBWR ranked 10th among qualified centers. Dalman also fits a Houston running game that uses a lot of outside zone; no offense ran more outside zone than Atlanta this past season.
Re-signing the 26-year-old is still believed to be at the top of the Falcons’ list, especially given they would like to provide Penix with an experienced and talented center in what will be his first full season as the starter.
According to Spotrac, Dalman’s market value is $6.8 million per season. If the Falcons were to lose him, they would most likely turn to Ryan Neuzil, who filled in for Dalman last season.
Read the full article here