Under rules of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft receive four-year contracts that carry a team option for a fifth season.
Atlanta's 26th overall pick Takkarist McKinley is projected to receive a deal worth about $10.25 million, according to sportrac.com.
The salary is based on the NFL's salary cap ($167 million) and the rookie compensation pool set under the CBA.
The Falcons originally held the 31st overall pick before trading for Seattle's 26th spot. Had Atlanta maintained it 31st spot, the projected salary for that position would've been about $9.03 million.
The Falcons were $2.2 million under the salary cap as of March 28.
Support real journalism. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today. See offers.
Your subscription to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution funds in-depth reporting and investigations that keep you informed. Thank you for supporting real journalism.