Photo by Dissident93, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsDex Ponce: The Falcons' Offseason Is a Crime Drama and a Clearance Sale
Day 1 of the Stefanski era. His first-round pick might go to prison. His franchise QB is rehabbing his third ACL. His starting quarterback is a guy Miami paid $99 million to get rid of.
Day 1 of the Stefanski era. His first-round pick might go to prison. His franchise QB is rehabbing his third ACL. His starting quarterback is a guy Miami paid $99 million to get rid of.
Read that back. Slowly.
James Pearce Jr. put up 10.5 sacks as a rookie. AP Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist. One offseason later he's facing three felonies and a permanent protective order hearing on April 21. The Falcons' best pass rusher might not be in the building this year. Might not be in the league.
Michael Penix Jr. says he's "a little bit ahead of schedule." That phrase is doing superhuman work. This is ACL number three. Two knees. The franchise quarterback literally cannot walk onto the field right now.
So who's starting? Tua Tagovailoa. On a $1.3 million vet minimum. The Dolphins ate $99.2 million in dead money to make him someone else's problem. The concussion history that got him released didn't vanish at the Georgia state line. Atlanta's bridge QB is another team's most expensive mistake.
And the draft? Five picks. No first-rounder. First selection at 48. For a team that needs a left tackle, pass rush depth, and secondary help. Five picks. Cunningham signed three prove-it edge rushers — Ojulari, Ebukam, Cameron Thomas — as Pearce insurance. That's not a plan. That's a prayer.
I'm 58% sure Stefanski can untangle this. He turned Deshaun Watson's Cleveland into something watchable. But Cleveland's mess was one guy. Atlanta's mess is structural, legal, medical, and financial all at once.
Kevin Stefanski started his first offseason program today. Look at the roster of problems waiting for him and tell me which one is the worst.
I genuinely don't know. That's the scariest part.
The Tilt
Name the worst part of the Falcons' offseason. You can't. There are too many.
— Dex Ponce
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