FLOWERY BRANCH – With the release of Roddy White on Wednesday via text message, the Falcons have a hole at the number two wide receiver position.
Here are five prospective free-agent candidates to replace White:
1. Rishard Matthews, Miami: He's 26 years old and 6-foot and 212 pounds. "If I were them, I'd go get the kid from Miami," said Joel Corry, CBSSports' business reporter. "He's bigger. He can also block. He was having a really good year before the rib injury derailed him for the final five games of the year." He was drafted in the seventh round out of Nevada in 2012. He has 107 catches for 1,396 yards and eight touchdowns. He's played in 49 games and has made 17 starts.
2. Travis Benjamin, Cleveland: He's 26 and 5-foot-10 and 172 pounds. He had a breakout season in 2015 with 68 catches for 966 yards and four touchdowns. He played for Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in 2014. He was a fourth-round pick out of Miami in 2012. He has 109 catches for 1,683 yards and 10 touchdowns over his career. He's played in 54 games and made 21 starts. He's also a kickoff and punt returner. He could replace Devin Hester as the team's returner
3. Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati: He's been one of the most productive of the free agent candidates after being selected in the third-round of the 2012 draft out of Rutgers. He's played in 57 games and has made 34 starts. He has 152 catches for 1,793 yards and 11 touchdowns. In a 24-10 win over the Falcons on Sept. 14, 2014, the college quarterback tossed a 50-yard to running back Ben Tate on a flanker reverse-pass. He also had a 76-yard touchdown reception in that game.
4. Rueben Randle, New York Giants: He's 24 and 6-foot-4, 205 pounds. He was drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft out of LSU. In 2014, he had 71 catches for 938 yards and three touchdowns. Over his career, he has 188 catches for 2,644 yards and 20 touchdowns.
5. Marvin Jones, Cincinnati: He's 25 and 6-foot-1, 199 pounds. He was drafted in the fifth-round of the 2012 draft out of California. He's played in 43 games and made 21 starts. Over his career, he has 134 catches for 1,729 yards and 15 touchdowns. In 2013, he had 10 touchdown receptions.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter joins CineSport’s Noah Coslov to identify the players that the Falcons may be able to land with the 17th pick in the Draft & discuss impressive players on offense.
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