The NFL’s free agency period stars at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The Falcons have $5,679,182 under the $188.2 million salary cap according to the NFLPA’s updated report on Monday.

Here are five things to know as the Falcons head into the free agency period:

1. Free Agency tracker: Here's our Atlanta Falcons free agency tracker, which will be updated when the Falcons sign a player or when one of the former Falcons sign with another team. 

2. Gresham watch: The Falcons, who are in the market for a blocking tight end, were high on tight end Jermaine Gresham when he was coming out of Oklahoma in 2010. Gresham, 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, could fill the blocking tight end spot that was held by Logan Paulsen last season. Gresham was released by the Cardinals on Monday.

Gresham, 30, went to two Pro Bowls (2011 and 2012) when he was with the Bengals and has played in 132 games and made 118 starts.

3. Remmers watch: The Vikings released guard Mike Remmers on Monday. He started 16 games in three of the four past seasons and was the right tackle on the Panthers' Super Bowl 50 team. He's set to turn 30 in April.

4. Dimitroff on free agency: Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, as far back as the Super Bowl, said the team would not spend "boldly" in free agency.

He reiterated that point recently at the NFL scouting combine.

5. Beasley vs. Fowler: Many fans are upset with Vic Beasley's counting $12.8 million against the cap. Note that the Rams just agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract with Dante Fowler, who was drafted third overall, five picks ahead of Beasley in the 2015 draft.

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In the Falcons' exhibition game in August against the Lions, placekicker Lenny Krieg (right) made one of two field goals — with the successful kick a 57-yarder — and kicked an extra point at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The German has been on Atlanta's practice squad this season as part of the NFL's International Player Pathways program. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

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Helen Gilbert places flowers on her brother Eurie Martin’s grave at Camp Spring Baptist Church in Sandersville. Her brother died eight years ago. Three former Washington County deputies are accused of causing his death and are set to stand trial Monday. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

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