The Atlanta Falcons have been getting busy in Ian Cunningham's first free agency as general manager, even if they haven't been making the expensive splashes other teams are. Their only bold move was the Tua Tagovailoa signing, and it's no guarantee that he'll be the starting QB.
However, if one of their beat reporters has any indication, the Falcons could be looking into some other bold moves. After the releases of Minnesota Vikings' defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen became official, The Athletic's Josh Kendall had a notable response on social media.
Hargrave quickly turncoated to his division rival Green Bay Packers, but Allen is still available-- and Kendall implied that he expects the Dirty Birds to be involved in the market for the 31-year-old. And since defensive tackle remains one of the biggest needs on this Atlanta roster, he's probably right that they'll inquire.
Kendall is one of the most plugged-in Falcons' beat writers in the game, especially on social media. This isn't like it's coming from someone we know is trying to clickbait, this is someone with credibility who is consistently in the facilities in Flowery Branch. And if this goes down, it would be a big splash.
The Atlanta Falcons could be kicking the tires on the recently-released Jonathan Allen
The two-time Pro Bowler spent the majority of his career with the Washington Commanders, but after he was released last offseason, he signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Vikings. And even though he played all 17 games for them, he fell victim to Minnesota attempts to recoup cap space.
Honestly, Allen will have a pretty robust market, and with how conservative Cunningham has been with the Falcons' finances, I wouldn't expect any major moves outside of Tagovailoa, and depending on who you ask, the majority of the fanbase doesn't even see signing him as an important signing.
So I doubt Atlanta would try to offer the Alabama product a deal similar to the one he got from Minnesota, but at a discount, it's worth a shot. With David Onyemata now a Jet, the Falcons don't have many experienced defensive tackles on their roster, which is why their run defense was so bad.
The 2017 first-round pick is one of the most reliable (and durable) defensive tackles in the NFL, so he definitely won't struggle to find work. Zach Harrison could be on the trade block and Ruke Orhorhoro is still a work in progress, so Allen would be an intriguing complement for Brandon Dorlus in Atlanta.
Maybe this isn't super likely after the Falcons re-signed LaCale London, but it given how much Cunningham has gravitated towards highly-drafted players, I (like many fans) would hope they at least try to sign him and continue the positive trajectory of Jeff Ulbrich's defense.