The Atlanta Falcons are making a concerted effort to ensure that their offense doesn’t sputter as it has in years past. They made a splash early on in NFL Free Agency, signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a massive four-year deal.
Cousins is a major upgrade for the team under center, as he will take over from Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke once he is healthy and cleared from the Achilles injury he suffered during the 2023 season. That is excellent news for the offensive playmakers in Atlanta, whose production was capped by inconsistent quarterback play.
The Falcons have a great core to work with, using first-round picks in three straight years on skill-position players. First, it was tight end Kyle Pitts in 2021, then wide receiver Drake London in 2022 and running back Bijan Robinson in 2023.
NFL News & Rumors: Darnell Mooney, 2024 NFL Free Agency, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons Updates
Looking to build upon that foundation, the Falcons dipped into free agency to snag another playmaker. This time, they came away with wide receiver Darnell Mooney, formerly of the Chicago Bears.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Mooney landed a three-year, $39 million deal from the Falcons. $26 million of the deal is guaranteed, which was negotiated by David Mulugheta and AJ Stevens of AthletesFirst.
Mooney is a big signing for the Falcons. He will take pressure off of London, who was far and away the most productive wide receiver on the team in 2023. The second most productive wide receiver was Mack Hollins, who caught only 18 passes for 251 yards and zero touchdowns in 13 games.
KhaDarel Hodge was the No. 3 receiver, playing in all 17 games but catching only 14 passes for 232 yards and zero touchdowns. The Falcons were a run-first team under Arthur Smith last season, but those numbers still leave a lot to be desired.
NFL News & Rumors: Darnell Mooney, 2024 NFL Free Agency, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons Updates
With tight end Jonnu Smith, who was third on the team in receiving yardage, being released earlier this offseason, the Falcons needed another pass catcher. They landed on Mooney as the player to fill the void, paying him handsomely.
Mooney spent the first four seasons of his career with the Chicago Bears after being selected in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He looked like a star in the making in 2021, catching 81 passes for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns.
But, inconsistent quarterback play doomed him the following two seasons. Mooney’s stats in 2022 and 2023 combined aren’t as good as what he was able to produce during his 2021 campaign.
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