On Desmond Ridder, Deion Jones, Falcons salary-cap situation and preseason position battles

Rob Smith from South Dakota

Why is the media team writing off Deion Jones? After seeing the first preseason game I didn’t see the hype on Walker and Evans. You’d have to think Deion Jones is still the best LB on the Falcons.

Bair: I can’t speak for “the media,” but I don’t think we’ve ever dismissed Deion Jones’ talent, sterling resume or his ability to make a profound impact. We’re just trying to paint a full picture, one that includes in ongoing rehab from a reported shoulder injury, the Falcons depth at the position and the possibility that he’ll be traded for possible compensation and definite salary-cap benefits.

There’s a ton going on with this situation and we can’t ignore any of it. We can’t simply gloss over your points, either, Rob. Jones is a really, really good defender. He can cover and tackle and blitz. He’s fast and agile and can be super productive at the top of his game. I also agree that he has the best combination of talent and track record on the team. The Falcons are still waiting for him to get healthy and cleared to practice. It will be interesting to see what happens at that point.

I ‘ve been a fan for 50 + years and I just don’t feel good about the coming seasons. Thankfully we have CP,,AJ,.Grady and Pitts to name a few bright spots but little else IMO and we need to quit blaming it ALL on the cap.

Bair: I don’t think it’s fair to blame it all on the cap, Jim, but it plays a massive role in the team’s current level of talent. So does too many missed draft picks in the last four-five years, but the financial component can’t be overlooked. While we don’t need to do a deep dive into the Falcons current cap situation, they currently have $63.3 million in dead money against the cap.

That means the Falcons can’t use that amount on players in 2022. Would the team be considerably better by spending that $63.3 million on talent. It most certainly would. They’re taking on all this dead money, essentially at once, which creates room for optimism they’ll…