The Atlanta Falcons have been clearing cap space to make some noise in free agency, but that noise won’t include a boisterous cheer for the re-signing of their top impending free agent.
Per Adam Schefter (by way of Matt Miller, Twitter/X is broken), Drew Dalman has signed with the Chicago Bears, as long rumored. The Falcons now have to replace their starting center from the past three years.
Dalman, 26, was a coveted free agent because he’s younger, is an elite run blocker at the center position, and was entering a market without a lot of other top options. His come-and-go consistency with snapping and merely average pass protection are outweighed by those benefits for the Bears, who are trying to rebuild their offensive line, just as they were for a Falcons team that could run like the wind with Dalman at the pivot. I’m sure the team was hoping to keep him, but reports in recent weeks indicated they’d be unlikely to do so.
The Bears will take the risk that Dalman’s pass protection is a slight liability and that his recent injury history—he missed 11 games combined over the past two seasons—might become a trend line. There’s little question they’re getting a quality player.
Dalman joined the team as a 2021 fourth round pick, and after mostly sitting for the 2021 season, took over as the starting center in 2022. He’s been the start since, aside from when injuries or snapping wildness intruded, and has generally graded out as the best run blocking center in the NFL per Pro Football Focus. The eye test confirms that, and for a run-first Falcons team under Arthur Smith and one intent on using Bijan Robinson effectively under Raheem Morris, that was a godsend.
The Falcons will likely sign a veteran free agent or plunge into the draft to give themselves a starter, or at least someone to compete with Ryan Neuzil, a restricted free agent who now seems like a virtual lock to re-sign. Neuzil is not nearly the caliber of run blocker that Dalman is but is similar or better in terms of pass protection and may still have a higher ceiling to come given that he’s a recent convert to the position; former late pick Jovaughn Gwyn could also fight his way into the mix for a reserve role. Ex-Bears center Coleman Shelton would be a possible stopgap, Josh Myers would be a nice signing and a clear-cut starter, and Bradley Bozeman, Nick Gates, and others would give the Falcons Neuzil competition if they want him to have a chance to get the job but aren’t convinced he should be given it.
While there are defensive needs all over the place, center now becomes the need for an otherwise quite good Falcons offense, one that has four starters locked up along their offensive line at guard and tackle. We’ll wish Dalman well in Chicago, and we hope the Falcons can find an effective replacement here sooner than later.
