Falcons eye Super Bowl-winning ex-Buccaneers safety with 11 INTs for secondary help

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot isn’t done tinkering with the roster just yet.

Well into training camp now, the Falcons are continuing to explore options to bolster their depth, particularly in the secondary. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the team is bringing in veteran safety Jordan Whitehead for a workout.

“Veteran S Jordan Whitehead is visiting the Falcons today, source says,” Garafolo reported on X. “The former Buccaneers starter, who was injured in a car accident in January, recently received full medical clearance and is exploring his next opportunity.”

Whitehead, 27, is an experienced starter with 101 career starts across seven NFL seasons — five with the Buccaneers and the last two with the Jets. Originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh, Whitehead has developed into a physical and dependable presence in the back end.

Despite missing time last season, he still appeared in 12 games and registered 79 total tackles with two tackles for loss. In coverage, he defended three passes and allowed just 24 completions on 33 targets for 337 yards and three touchdowns.

Whitehead signed a two-year, $9 million extension with Tampa Bay last offseason but was released earlier this year following his car accident. Now fully cleared, he presents a low-cost, high-upside option — something that fits Atlanta’s current cap situation.

According to Over the Cap, the Falcons have just $4.8 million in available cap space, the fourth-lowest figure in the NFL. That makes value signings like Whitehead all the more important.

If signed, Whitehead would join a retooled safety group that includes veteran Jordan Fuller, third-round rookie Xavier Watts, and a now-healthy DeMarcco Hellams. But perhaps most importantly, he could serve as a complementary partner to star safety Jessie Bates III, whose Pro Bowl-caliber play could free Whitehead to thrive closer to the line of scrimmage.

Atlanta’s defense underwent significant changes last season, and Fontenot continues to add experience where possible. With their first preseason game set for next Friday, the Falcons could make one more move — and Whitehead may be exactly the kind of signing that fits their budget and their vision.