Only the Miami Dolphins recorded less sacks than the Atlanta Falcons last season. Since 2019 sack leader Vic Beasley won’t be returning in 2020, the team has a real need for a pass-rushing defensive end.
The best, cheapest option for the Falcons is to find a replacement for Beasley in the NFL draft. With free agency coming up first, though, let’s take a look at seven possible EDGE options that Atlanta could consider signing this offseason.
Robert Quinn
2019 Stats: 34 tackles (26 solo), 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 3 passes defended
Analysis: Robert Quinn is still a very good player, recording a career-high 11.5 sacks in his ninth NFL season. He’ll turn 30 before the 2020 season begins and despite his top-level production, he isn’t going to command the kind of money that Clowney, Dupree and Fowler are likely to get on the open market. Quinn may still be slightly out of Atlanta’s price range, but he’s the exact kind of one or two-year stop gap that a team trying to get back to contention should be interested in.
Kyle Van Noy
2019 Stats: 56 tackles (41 solo), 6.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 passes defended
Analysis: As a second-round pick back in 2014, Van Noy was considered a bust in Detroit before finding a home in New England a few years ago. Bill Belichick utilized his ability as a pass-rusher and stopped asking him to drop into coverage where he struggles. Playing in Atlanta, Van Noy could have a similar pass-rush specialist role. He finished with a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2019 and racked up 15 QB hits.
Jason Pierre-Paul
2019 Stats: 27 tackles (24 solo), 8.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 passes defended
Analysis: JPP was once a household name and while he’s no longer thought of as an elite pass-rusher, he can still get after the quarterback. Pierre-Paul recorded 8.5 sacks and 16 QB hits in just ten games last season for Tampa Bay — his third consecutive year with at least 8.5 sacks. He’ll be 31 this season, though, and that could make him more affordable than some of the younger options on the market. If Atlanta can get him on some kind of one-year, incentive-laden deal, it would be a good start to getting the pass rush back on track in 2020.
Everson Griffen
2019 Stats: 41 tackles (26 solo), 8 sacks, 1 INT, 2 passes defended
Analysis: Everson Griffen has always been somewhat overshadowed by Vikings teammate Danielle Hunter, but his production over ten years has been impressively consistent (74.5 career sacks). Griffen, who will be 33 this season, finished with eight sacks and 24 QB hits in 2019. He’s certainly not a long-term option, but for one year, he could step in and duplicate Beasley’s production, while offering more as a run defender.
Ronald Blair
2019 Stats: 21 tackles (14 solo), 3 sacks
Analysis: Blair is probably the only player on this list that offers more than a one or two-year stop gap. Not everyone agrees on the 27-year-old’s upside, but he’s shown a lot as a rotational EDGE on a good 49ers defense. Blair played just 9 games last season, and his numbers aren’t on par with the others on this list. Many think Blair has starting potential, something he should get a chance to prove next year. The Falcons would be banking on his upside, however, when the team could likely find an equally productive player in the draft. Still, Blair is worth considering.
Mario Addison
2019 Stats: 34 tackles (20 solo), 9.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Analysis: Falcons fans know just how good Mario Addison has been for the Panthers, even if those around the league don’t regularly give him the recognition he deserves. Addison has spent the last seven years in Carolina and has four consecutive seasons of at least nine sacks. He’ll turn 33 this season, but his production seems to be getting better with age. On a one-year deal, Addison would be a great veteran presence that can help the team get back to the playoffs.
Vinny Curry
2019 Stats: 27 tackles (20 solo), 5 sacks
Analysis: It’s more fun to read about guys like Jadeveon Clowney and Bud Dupree, but those simply aren’t realistic options for Atlanta. Vinny Curry wasn’t the success in Tampa during the 2018 season that he was in Philadelphia for so many years. He returned to the Eagles in 2019, though, and picked up where he left off, recording 5 sacks and 12 QB hits. At 32, Curry is another stop-gap solution, but is someone to consider, especially if the Falcons aren’t able to retain De’Vondre Campbell.
