It sounds like the Falcons will be adding some veterans to the discard pile in the near future.
The Falcons currently rank near the bottom of the league when it comes to cap space at their disposal this offseason and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff suggested that the team will be maneuvering to improve that position ahead of the start of the new league year on March 14.
“We all know that as we start nearing the signing of quarterbacks in this league, and especially quarterbacks of Matt Ryan’s status, you have to be very creative,” Dimitroff said on 680 The Fan, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “There are going to be some difficult moves for us to make probably early next week and into next week.
The Falcons have talked about getting a new deal done with Ryan and doing so should actually improve their short-term cap situation as they’d likely be able to bring his current hit of $21 million-plus down by extending his deal. Ledbetter also mentions guard Andy Levitre, defensive lineman Derrick Shelby, quarterback Matt Schaub and linebacker Brooks Reed as possible cap casualties in moves that would each create multiple millions in space.