The first wave of NFL free agency is over and, as expected, the Falcons only made a small ripple. That's the price paid for a bad team with contract miscalculations stacked on top of big-money deals for good players. The Falcons are short on pass rushers and don't have a real No. 1 cornerback.
There's a big talent gap between the Falcons and Saints in the NFC South. Per Bet Online, the over/under win total for the Falcons decreased from eight before free agency to 7-{ as of Tuesday afternoon. The Saints' over/under remained at 10 wins because nothing that's happened in free agency changes their status as the favorite to win the division for the fourth year in a row.
There's an extra wild-card berth this season, but the Buccaneers are in better position than the Falcons to earn it. Tampa Bay's over/under increased from 7-{ pre-free agency to nine games. Maybe the betting markets are overreacting to the surprise signing of legendary Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, but the Bucs also have a good defense.
Three NFC South teams made the playoff in 2017, but the division hasn't produced a wild-card team in the past two seasons. The Saints won the division by six games each year with a 9-3 record against South foes. It's hard to see the Falcons as currently constructed making much of a move in 2020.
Here's a closer look at where the teams in the NFC South stand after the flurry of transactions over the past week.
