The Atlanta Falcons finally woke up from their stupor in the early stages of free agency, reinforcing their defense by luring linebacker Divine Deablo away from the Las Vegas Raiders. Raheem Morris may not be done adding to his defense just yet.
With Arnold Ebiketie failing to take the step forward many hoped for and Bralen Trice working his way back from an ACL injury, the Falcons will need to sign at least one free agent to add to this room in addition to burning some premium capital in the 2025 NFL Draft to improve their pass rush.
The San Francisco 49ers may have inadvertently given a young Falcons defense the lifeline they needed. Amid a major facelift that has seen almost a dozen players leave in the early stages of the offseason, pass rusher Leonard Floyd was informed he will be given his pink slip.
Morris and the Falcons need to be all over this move when it happens. With Floyd being a Georgia guy himself and a player who played under Morris for two seasons when he was the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams, there are plenty of links one could make that could help him land in Atlanta.
Raheem Morris connection could help Falcons land Leonard Floyd
Floyd is as durable as they come, as he has not missed a game since the 2017 season. With Trice's injury problems, having an experienced veteran who can still blow by defenders with exceptional burst off the line will be an asset to Morris' new-look Atlanta defense.
After failing to take the leap forward many expected when the Chicago Bears used the No. 9 overall pick on him in 2016, it was Morris and the Rams who helped unlock his potential. Floyd has recorded at least 8.5 sacks in each of the last five seasons, including 19.5 in his two seasons with Morris at the helm.
While Pro Football Focus may not be as high on Floyd as traditional stats would indicate, they did not that he remains in the Top 40 across the NFL in pressures and hurries. Even if he isn't going to be the most amazing run defender in the world,
This move would be a homecoming for Floyd, who was born in Atlanta and is a Georgia alumnus. With the Falcons trying to break their playoff drought, Floyd linking back up with Morris to give his defense the lift they need could be a perfect way for this team to win free agency.
