Falcons Recap: Atlanta stays quiet on wild first day of NFL free agency

The start of the NFL free agency lived up to the hype on Day 1. Many of the league's top free agents have already found new homes, including a couple former Atlanta Falcons players. However, nothing is official until the new league year begins on Wednesday. The Falcons cleared some cap space on Monday morning but were mostly quiet to kick off the NFL's spending frenzy. Let's recap Day 1 of the legal tampering period in Atlanta.

Falcons release veteran defensive lineman Grady Jarrett

The Falcons shocked their fans by releasing Grady Jarrett just before the legal tampering began on Monday. The veteran defensive lineman has been a consistent force in Atlanta for the last decade. Jarrett, a former fifth-round pick, was reportedly asked to restructure his contract but felt he would fare better as a free agent. By cutting Jarrett, the Falcons saved $16.2 million in cap space while also creating a hole in the middle of their defensive line.

Chicago Bears agree to terms with Drew Dalman

Shortly after Jarrett was released, the Falcons saw their starting center agree to terms with the Chicago Bears. According to multiple reports, Dalman is set to sign a three-year, $42 million contract, including $28 million in guaranteed money. Atlanta drafted Dalman in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft and developed him into a quality starter. The Falcons have already invested a good amount of money in their offensive line. Nonetheless, Dalman is a big loss and now the team needs a new starting center.

Grady Jarrett follows Dalman to Chicago

Jarrett was a free agent for about an hour before agreeing to terms with the Bears on a three-year $43.5 million contract. Chicago went crazy on Day 1 of free agency and snatched two former Falcons starters in the process. While the Bears haven't been a contender in recent seasons, they're doing everything possible to change that in 2025. Jarrett will finally be surrounded by a talented supporting cast in Chicago and could thrive next season.

How much cap space does Atlanta have?

The Falcons released Jarrett and extended left tackle Jake Matthews to free up roughly $27 million in cap space. Over The Cap lists Atlanta with nearly $10 million available, but that number should go up to about $20 million once Matthews' extension becomes official. Even though many of the top free agents have found new homes, the Falcons are making sure not to make any knee-jerk signings. Perhaps they learned a lesson from giving Kirk Cousins a $180 million contract last offseason.

Replacements for Dalman, Jarrett?

The Falcons were quiet on Day 1 and will go into Day 2 with two starters to replace. At center, Robert Hainsey, Ryan Kelly and Austin Corbett all agreed to terms on new contracts. The team could look to target the position in the draft or potentially re-sign Ryan Neuzil. At defensive tackle, the team could target Javon Hargrave or Jonathan Allen. In terms of in-house options, the Falcons could look to Ruke Orhorhoro to play a bigger role next season.

Keep up with each signing, rumor and report using our Falcons free agency tracker.