ESPN reveals Atlanta Falcons offseason rating

ESPN Analytics expert Seth Walder has rarely been kind to the Atlanta Falcons and general manager Terry Fontenot. Walder loves statistics and perceived position value. He called the use of running back Bijan Robinson’s No. 8 overall pick last year inexcusable.

So it was no surprise when his name appeared at the top of ESPN’s offseason ratings. I was going to have to spin the scroll wheel to get to the bottom of the leaderboard, as if I was on the correct price.

Walder did not disappoint.

He gave the Falcons a C- for their offseason moves — only three teams got lower grades.

“Signing Cousins ​​made sense because it allows the Falcons to take advantage of their weak division with improved quarterback play,” Walder wrote on ESPN+. “While they didn’t have a full roster going into the offseason, the building blocks were there and if they were successful with their free agency acquisitions and the draft, they could be a true NFC contender with Cousins Healthy. By selecting Penix, naturally, reduced this chance.

“On the other hand, the value of a quarterback on a rookie contract allows a franchise to invest in the roster around him because rookies are very cheap. But in this case, they’re paying a veteran QB award for Cousins ​​in the first two years of Penix’s contract Making the two moves together shows a lack of vision.

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It’s a valid argument to think the Falcons should have gone one way or the other at quarterback. Especially if they were targeting a 24 year old in the draft. More experienced and more mature should mean more ready to go professional.

However, a coaching change in January gave the Falcons and Raheem Morris a late start in the college evaluation process. SI’s Albert Breer reported that the Falcons fell head over heels in love with Penix after the decision to sign Kirk Cousins.

That said, out of 32 NFL teams, Walder’s decision to put the Falcons at 29th would be a surprise if it weren’t so predictable.

Cousins ​​was rated the No. 2 free agent by ESPN’s Walder.

If a team fills its biggest need, at the game’s most important position, with the No. 2 ranked free agent, on a financially manageable contract… it deserves a significantly better grade than the bottom five of the NFL.