ESPN names one free agent the Falcons ‘must sign’ this offseason

The Falcons have been grabbing headlines all offseason as analysts try to predict a landing spot for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Now that it has been reported the team won’t pursue Jackson, many are wondering who Atlanta will target in free agency.

On Tuesday, the Falcons chose not to use the franchise tag on right tackle Kaleb McGary. This leaves the team with over $66 million in available cap space, which is enough to go after literally any free agent on the market.

In a new feature by ESPN, Aaron Schatz listed one player that each NFL team “must sign” this offseason. For the Falcons, Schatz thinks the top wide receiver on the market would make a great fit in Atlanta.

Last season, Meyers put up 10.2% receiving DVOA, 25th out of 85 qualifying wide receivers. That’s pretty remarkable given the total dysfunction of the Patriots’ offense. ESPN Analytics’ new receiving ratingsbased on game charting put him 28th among wideouts last season and 23rd the year before. Meyers is a natural No. 2 receiver, the perfect shorter-route complement while London and Pitts stretch the field.

Schatz is correct in stating that the team needs a secondary option to pair with Drake London on the perimeter. Meyers has yet to produce a season of over 1,000 yards. He finished with a career-best 866 yards in 2021. In 2022, Meyers had 804 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

While Meyers has never been a red-zone threat, the Falcons have plenty of other players who can be. Kyle Pitts and Drake London are each 6-foot-4 or taller.