Atlanta Falcons: Effects of Grady Jarrett receiving franchise tag
The Atlanta Falcons were unable to come to a long-term deal with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. What does this mean for player and team moving forward?
On Monday, the Atlanta Falcons were unable to come to a long-term deal with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett before the franchise tag deadline. Thus, they placed their tag on Jarrett. This means that Jarrett will be on the field in 2019, but what else does this mean for Jarrett and the team moving forward?
After just four seasons in the NFL, Jarrett has become a steal for the Falcons after being selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Jarrett has turned into one of the leagues most elite interior defensive lineman, so it comes to little surprise that the Falcons slapped him with the franchise tag after not reaching a deal before the deadline.
In his last two seasons, Jarrett has totaled 10 sacks, 23 tackles for a loss, 29 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles for the Falcons. The Falcons will now look to sign Jarrett to a long-term deal prior to the July 15 deadline.
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After July 15, the Falcons will no longer be able to sign him to a long-term deal until after the 2019 season. It should remain high on the Falcons’ priority list to ensure they get a long-term deal done before this date.
This will also affect how the Falcons elect to handle their draft and free agency this year. Even with Jarrett franchise tagged, the Falcons still need help on the defensive line. It would still not be surprising to see them take a defensive tackle early in the draft, like Ed Oliver, if he falls to them.
However, with Jarrett tagged, they may now be able to focus on finding a replacement for Vic Beasley and focus on the edge of their line. This may let them turn to a defensive end in the first round. With prospects like Clelin Ferrell and Brian Burns projected to be available, the Falcons have a lot more options knowing they have Jarrett at least one more year.
In free agency, the Falcons could also choose to sign an edge rusher instead of drafting one. This would leave them with more freedom with their first round pick and not make them as pressured to select a defensive lineman. The Falcons could target Trey Flowers or Dante Fowler in free agency to replace Vic Beasley and use their first round pick on the best player available.
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Franchise tagging Jarrett now leaves the Falcons with more flexibility in the next few months. However, the Grady Jarrett story will continue to be something to follow closely. Locking down Jarrett long-term would be a huge move for the Falcons and would certainly be something for fans to be happy about.