FLOWERY BRANCH -- With the NFL salary cap projected to jump from $182.5 million to $208.2 million in 2022, the Falcons’ situation will improve slightly next year.
There will be some tough decisions on players such as running back Cordarrelle Patterson, linebacker Foye Oluokun, wide receiver Russell Gage and kicker Younghoe Koo.
Patterson, arguably the team’s offensive MVP for 2021, signed a one-year, $3 million deal in the offseason. His market value has been set at $6.1 million, according to Spotrac.
“I just love it here in Atlanta,” Patterson said. “There is no other way around it. Between the coaches and organization and staff. Everybody. I just appreciate everybody, you know, not overlooking me. For just giving me my shot. I just can’t thank them enough for that.”
Patterson, who was drafted in the first round of the 2013 draft by the Vikings as a wide receiver, is with his fifth team and said he knows the NFL is a business.
“I love Atlanta. That’s got nothing to do with what you’re about to ask (about a new contract),” Patterson said. “That’s out of my pay (range). If it was up to me, I’d be here for the next two years. If it was up to me. But it’s not.”
Oluokun, a former sixth-round pick from Yale, ranks second in the league with 135 tackles through 12 games. He may want to reach free agency to set his market value. Gage and Koo have been key contributors.
The Falcons have not started extension talks with Oluokun. Former Falcons linebacker DeVondre Campbell was not retain and is currently playing for the Green Bay Packers and is one of the highest rated linebackers in the league by profootballfocus.
“You want to constantly be looking to improve your roster,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “You want to constantly be looking to improve as a coach. I don’t think (general manager) Terry (Fontenot) and I look at this thing and say, hey, look just because we drafted this guy that they’re on scholarship now.”
Up against the cap last offseason, Fontenot and Smith signed low-budget veterans to help build a foundation. They also had some players take pay cuts and restructured some contracts to get under the salary cap.
The cap increase will provide some room, but there still will be contract moves to make. For instance, they’ll have to lower quarterback Matt Ryan’s salary-cap number of $48.6 million, with another restructure or possibly an extension.
“I think you’re constantly looking to get better,” Smith said. “Familiarity certainly helps. I think you’ll see that in where we’re at with our cap situation and the way our roster is currently constructed, there’s going to be change, it’s inevitable.”
The Falcons have only 29 players under contract for 2022 and are projected to have about $13.2 million under the cap before making cap-casualty cuts and restructuring some deals.
In addition to Patterson, Oluokun Gage and Koo, the other prospective free agents include outside linebacker Dante Fowler, tight end Hayden Hurst, guard Matt Gono, tight end Lee Smith, safety Erik Harris, quarterback A.J. McCarron, safety Duron Harmon, cornerback Isaiah Oliver, guard Josh Andrews, outside linebacker Steven Means, cornerback Fabian Moreau, long snapper Josh Harris, punter Thomas Morstead, linebacker Brandon Copeland, running back Wayne Gallman, defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard, wide receiver Tajae Sharpe, tackle Jason Spriggs, wide receiver Christian Blank, tight end Jaeden Graham, quarterback Josh Rosen, linebacker Darren Bates, guard Colby Gossett, wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus and linebacker Dorian Etheridge.
The Falcons landed Patterson, a four-time All-Pro, on a low contract because he was viewed as a kick returner. Unlike the previous four teams, the Falcons figured out how to use him at running back and wide receiver. He’s amassed over 1,000 scrimmage yards in 11 games.
“CP has had a huge impact this year,” Smith said. " Certainly, when you sign somebody in free agency, you hope you get a decent amount of production, and he’s exceeded that.”
Smith noted that the Falcons have five more games to go.
“We’re right in this thing, regardless of what, how it’s felt at certain times,” Smith said. “I mean, here we are in December, (and) it’s a big game for both teams. So, whatever we have to do, we must improve as a team and take another step for this game on Sunday, and CP will be a part of that.”
Putting in a foundation with their new schemes was important to Smith and his staff. They elected to start with Ryan as the quarterback and will look for the quarterback of the future.
“I think the way the league is set up and everyone’s jobs are a little bit different, but certainly with our cap situation, doesn’t matter what,” Smith said. “Even if you wanted to bring everybody back, that’s not reality. So, at certain spots, I think the staff familiarity it helps, too. Yes, in certain spots, but otherwise, you’re dealing with the realities. We’re going to have a lot of new faces in next spring and next fall.”
Ryan, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett ($23.8 million), left tackle Jake Matthews ($23.6 million), linebacker Deion Jones ($13.6 million), wide receiver Calvin Ridley ($11.1 million) and tight end Kyle Pitts ($7.4 million) make up the players with the top salary-cap numbers for 2022.
The salary-cap number, projected by NFL Network, will be announced at the NFL’s annual labor seminar this week.
The Falcons were in a bind because the 2021 cap went down from $198.2 million in 2020 because of the revenue shortfall from the COVID-19 pandemic. The losses were spread over several years and agreed to by the NFL and the players union.
Some free agents opted for one-year deals last season, while hoping for the cap to rise for 2022.
While the Falcons know they will not be major players in free agency, they must develop some players for depth through the practice squad.
“If you sign a guy, he’s on your practice squad, you develop him,” Smith said. “That’s a pretty good use of your roster. We’re looking for the same thing. Everybody that’s out there practicing, they’ve got a chance to be up on Sunday.”
The scouting of draftable and undrafted players also will be key moving forward.
With the college football regular season completed, the Falcons’ scouts are off the road. The team started their draft meetings Monday.
Before play this week, the Falcons were sitting in the eighth slot for the 2022 draft.
The Falcons will heavily scout all of the bowl games, attend most of the regional bowl games and send three scouts to the HBCU combine before the Senior Bowl in Mobile in January.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC
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