When picking among the top 10 of the NFL draft, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has expressed his desire to land “cornerstones” for the franchise.
So far, he’s appears to have achieved that goal in picking quarterback Matt Ryan (2008, third), wide receiver Julio Jones (2011, sixth) and left tackle Jake Matthews (2014, sixth) in the top 10.
The Falcons hope they signed another cornerstone player in outside linebacker Vic Beasley, who agreed to a four-year contract worth $14.5 million Friday. Beasley, who played at Clemson, is from Adairsville and was the eighth overall pick, received an $8.8 million signing bonus.
“What he adds is athleticism and his ability to get up and around the corner,” Dimitroff said. “This is a guy that has the full package for us.”
Beasley was highly productive for the Tigers, as he had 101 tackles, 52.5 tackles for loss, 33 sacks, 29 quarterback pressures, 11 pass breakups, seven caused fumbles, two recovered fumbles and two touchdowns in 1,421 snaps over 48 games (25 starts) in his career.
Beasley, who’s represented by Atlanta super-agent Todd France, received an increase over the deal that last season’s eighth pick, Justin Gilbert, signed with Cleveland. He received a four-year deal worth $12.83 million, which included a $7.6 million signing bonus.
Despite not having signed a contract, Beasley has participated in the Falcons’ offseason program, including OTAs. The team wanted to get the deal signed before the mandatory minicamp, which runs Tuesday through Thursday.
Beasley, who’s listed at 6-foot-3, 246 pounds, was held out of most of the OTA noncontact practice Tuesday because of a strained shoulder, according to coach Dan Quinn.
The Falcons, who are in dire need of help with their pass rush, think that Beasley will help them elevate what was the league’s worst defense last season. The Falcons had 22 sacks, which ranked 30th in the league. The defense ranked 31st in sacks per pass attempt, at 3.89 percent.
The Falcons have not had a double-digit sacker since John Abraham had 10 in 2012.
“I think coach Quinn has a good plan for this team and specifically for my position, the Leo, and this whole defense,” Beasley said Tuesday, when he knew the contract would be done soon.
The Falcons have high hopes for Beasley.
“He’s got an opportunity to be real special,” defensive coordinator Richard Smith said. “I like his attitude, his quickness and his ability to rush the passer. Overall, he’s competing for a position just like everybody else.”
