Latest news with #DrewDalman
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Falcons post-draft position preview: Running back
With most key players set to return in 2025, the Atlanta Falcons offense is primed for a big season. Aside from losing center Drew Dalman in free agency, this group has elite talent at every position. The running back position is by far the best example of this. Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have formed one of the most dangerous one-two punches of any backfield. Let's examine the team's running back room ahead of the 2025 NFL season in our latest post-draft position preview. RB Depth Chart (6): Bijan Robinson Tyler Allgeier Jase McClellan Carlos Washington Jr. Elijah Dotson Nathan Carter Advertisement Robinson and Allgeier are the only locks to make the roster, but Mclellan and Washington will firmly be in the mix. Dotson and Carter will have to ball out during training camp to play themselves onto the roster. This is arguably one of the most talented running back groups in the entire league. 2025 salary cap hits Robinson: $5,988,694 Allgeier: $1,183,472 McClellan: $1,008,592 Washington: $960,000 Dotson: $960,000 Carter: $845,000 For the amount of talent in the backfield, the Falcons are getting a major bargain. Allgeier and Robinson take up around $7.2 million of cap space combined. If you look at what some of the top backs make around the league, it's hard to find a better value in the NFL at running back. Top free agents available: JK Dobbins Nick Chubb Jamaal Williams Jeff Wilson Ameer Abdullah Advertisement Unless the Falcons are unhappy with McClellan and want a more experienced No. 3 running back, we think they'll stand pat with their current group. Adding a veteran like Jamaal Williams would make some sense, though. Predictions/expectations for 2025 Robinson just posted a career-high 1,456 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. He should only get better with a more explosive passing attack to complement him in 2025. Allgeier is a perfect change-of-pace back whose bruising style wears out opposing defenders late in games. McClellan is a solid dual-threat option who should again serve as the No. 3 back. I like this group to top 2,000 combined rushing yards this season. Around Falcons Wire This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons 2025 RB breakdown: Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier
USA Today
23-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Falcons find Drew Dalman replacement in 2025 NFL mock draft
Falcons find Drew Dalman replacement in 2025 NFL mock draft Atlanta adds Georgia prospect to replace Drew Dalman in new mock draft from The NFL loves using quarterbacks and skill position players to market the game, but most games are won and lost in the trenches. Aside from Hall of Fame-level players, like Aaron Donald and Jason Kelce, linemen rarely get the credit they deserve. The Atlanta Falcons have lost two starting linemen since the start of free agency. The team released veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett after 10 NFL seasons. On offense, the Falcons lost center Drew Dalman to the Chicago Bears. Jarrett also ended up signing with the Bears just hours after his release. These two departures won't be easy to replace. While the team has signed free agent Morgan Fox on defense, Atlanta hasn't done much to replace Dalman. A new mock draft from has the Falcons adding more defensive help in Round 1 before adding a center in Round 2. With the 15th overall pick, Atlanta was projected to take Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell. While the Crimson Tide Standout spent most of his college career playing off the ball, Chad Reuter thinks he could do a little bit of everything for the Falcons. Campbell recorded five sacks last season. "Campbell was initially recruited to play on the edge at Alabama, but he developed an all-around game that could make the Falcons quite happy if he's available here," writes Reuter. "This SEC star should prove himself to be an apt blitzer in the NFL and he will use his speed to track down ball-carriers before they hit the sideline." In Round 2 of Reuter's mock, Atlanta lands a replacement for Drew Dalman, taking Georgia center Jared Wilson. Wilson tested off the charts at the NFL Scouting Combine and seems to fit the athletic profile the Falcons targeted under general manager Terry Fontenot. Dalman and Wilson each earned elite RAS scores entering the draft and were projected mid-round prospects. Wilson's one year of starting experience may concern some, however, he was highly productive at a top-level college program and did not allow a sack last season. While the Falcons don't have a third-round pick, in the fourth round of mock, they were projected to take Virginia safety Jonas Sanker (pick 118). Even after signing Jordan Fuller to start opposite Jessie Bates III, the team could use more depth at the safety position after losing backup Richie Grant. Atlanta's best option may be to trade down and acquire more draft capital. The team has just five total picks, but Fontenot has said the Falcons are open to moving back. We'll see what happens when the 2025 NFL draft kicks off on April 24.
New York Times
10-03-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Bears agree to terms with center Drew Dalman on 3-year deal worth $42 million: Source
Drew Dalman and the Chicago Bears agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth $42 million, with $28 million of that being guaranteed, according to a league source. Dalman was the top center on the market — the only center to place inside the top 70 of The Athletic's updated list of the top 150 free agents — and ranked 15th on the overall list. A fourth-round pick out of Stanford in the 2021 NFL Draft, Dalman spent the first four years of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. Advertisement In 2022, Dalman started every game at center for the Falcons. Over the last two seasons, the 26-year-old missed 11 games due to injury. An ankle injury sidelined him for eight games in 2024. Despite the injury, Dalman ranked fourth among centers in run blocking, according to Pro Football Focus. He also did not allow any sacks in nine games. The 6-foot-3, 305-pounder's strength is in zone run blocking schemes. Dalman is the son of retired San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Chris Dalman. His dad played seven seasons with the 49ers (1993-1999) — starting at right guard and center — and was part of the Super Bowl XXIX-winning squad. This story will be updated.
USA Today
04-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Falcons should target athletic Georgia OL prospect to replace Drew Dalman
Falcons should target athletic Georgia OL prospect to replace Drew Dalman Potential Falcons draft target earns all-time RAS score at NFL combine Each year in the NFL, teams are forced to find replacements for the players they lose during the offseason. However, some replacements work out better than others. In 2022, the Atlanta Falcons attempted to replace former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan with Marcus Mariota and the results weren't pretty. While the team finally solidified the quarterback position in 2024, Atlanta may be looking for someone new to snap the ball to Michael Penix Jr. in 2025. Center Drew Dalman, who has progressed into a quality starter over the last few seasons, is set to enter free agency next week. The Falcons certainly would like to bring Dalman back, but he may be out of their price range. ESPN recently projected the Houston Texans to sign Dalman in free agency. If Atlanta loses its starting center, the team won't have to look far for a replacement. One potential option is Georgia's Jared Wilson. The Bulldogs offensive lineman displayed impressive athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. According to Relative Athletic Score founder Kent Lee Platte, Wilson earned a "RAS" of 9.98 out of 10 -- the second-highest score recorded by a center since 1987. The Falcons have consistently targeted offensive linemen with elite athletic scores. In 2023, the team traded up into the second round to select left guard Matthew Bergeron. The pick was questioned at the time but Bergeron has proved to be a quality starter during his two seasons in Atlanta. The former Syracuse standout also recorded an elite relative athletic score at the combine, as you can see in Platte's tweet below: The draft is obviously an option for the Falcons to replace Dalman, but they could also look to sign a low-cost free agent to fill in this season. Reserve offensive lineman Ryan Neuzil did a solid job filling in when Dalman missed time due to an ankle injury in 2024. Neuzil, 27, is also set to become a free agent but would be considerably cheaper than Dalman. Free agency officially starts on March 12 at 4 p.m. ET.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Falcons projected to lose key offensive lineman to AFC contender
Just when we thought the Atlanta Falcons had fixed their salary cap issues, another bad quarterback contract could put them in another bad spot. Kirk Cousins is going to get paid either way, but his likely exit will hurt the team in free agency. The Falcons are on the verge of losing two former Pro Bowl defenders, Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons, but their biggest loss could come along their offensive line. Center Drew Dalman, who's developed into a quality starter over the last few seasons, is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Considering his age (26) and production, Dalman is arguably Atlanta's top free agent going into 2025. There should be no shortage of teams interested in signing him if he hits the open market. We would expect the Falcons to attempt to bring Dalman back but the market may dictate where he plays next season. In a new free agency feature from ESPN's Aaron Schatz, Dalman lands with the Houston Texans. "Dalman would stabilize the middle of that line and will turn 27 next season. He started only nine games this past season because of an ankle injury but had a 95.1% pass block win rate when healthy," wrote Schatz. "In 2023, his 94.0% PBWR ranked 10th among qualified centers. Dalman also fits a Houston running game that uses a lot of outside zone; no offense ran more outside zone than Atlanta this past season." With Michael Penix Jr. in place, the Falcons should be interested in bringing back Dalman for the sake of continuity. If the team loses its starting center, look for Atlanta to bring back Ryan Neuzil to start in 2025. The veteran backup filled in admirably for Dalman last season and would be a more affordable option. Check out the full list of Atlanta Falcons players set to become free agents when the new league year begins on March 12. This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Free Agency: Falcons' Drew Dalman projected to sign with Texans
