The Falcons were quiet over the first wave of free agency, but it was only a matter of time until the team upgraded the running back position.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Atlanta is signing former Panthers RB Mike Davis to a two-year contract worth $5.5 million, with $3 million of it guaranteed in the first year of the deal.
Source: #Panthers RB Mike Davis to the #Falcons on a 2 year deal worth $5.5M with $3M fully guaranteed in Year 1, source says.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 23, 2021
Davis, 28, filled in for injured Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, and while he isn’t the play-maker McCaffrey is, he still racked up over 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2020 — 642 rushing yards and 373 receiving yards.
Signing Davis likely means the Falcons are out on free-agent RB Todd Gurley, who signed a one-year deal with the team last year. Gurley had nine touchdowns last year, but his 3.5 yards per attempt was not what the team was hoping for.
Davis doesn’t cost the Falcons a bunch of money and gives them more depth at what was perhaps the team’s thinnest position group. Atlanta could, and probably should, still look to add a running back in the upcoming NFL draft.
Prior to Davis’ signing, the team had roughly $4.7 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. Once the deal becomes official, the Falcons will have about $1.7 million.
