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The Atlanta Falcons’ future is in the hands of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., and not Kirk Cousins. The veteran may even retire. But looking ahead to 2025, here are two sneaky good NFL free agents the Falcons need to sign.
First and foremost, the Falcons must get better on defense. And a quick way to improve is by signing Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland. A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Holland is considered the No. 3 free agent, according to Pro Football Focus.
“A second-round draft pick out of Oregon in 2021, Holland has ranked as one of the five highest-graded safeties in two of his first three seasons in the league,” PFF wrote. “He earned a career-low 63.0 PFF overall grade in 2024, but his body of work more than speaks for itself.”
ESPN’s Matt Bowen isn’t as high on Holland as Pro Football Focus. He ranked him at No. 11, according to espn.com.
“Holland has the multidimensional traits that pro coaches look for at safety,” Bowen wrote. “He can play from depth, cover in the slot or mix it up as a box defender. The splash plays were missing from Holland’s tape this season, as he failed to record an interception. But he does have five interceptions, 16 pass breakups, five forced fumbles and five sacks over his four years with Miami.”
One thing to consider about Holland’s 2024 season is his struggle with injuries. In January, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel talked about his usage of Holland, according to dolphinswire.com.
“He’s been battling for a while,” McDaniel said. “We’re trying to keep him involved without having him have more setbacks. He was battling through it tonight for sure. What he’s been working back from was not the easiest and he’s diligent about it.”
Dolphins pass game coordinator for the secondary, Brian Duker, said Holland played better than some realized, according to palmbeachpost.com. Safeties can make impacts when teams avoid testing them.
“I’m probably higher on the safeties than you guys are,” said Duker. “I think from an execution, communication standpoint, it’s really good. I think a lot of times that can be true of safety. They took away the deep part of the field and they don’t touch you because they’re a little bit scared.
“And also, I’m not going to take that as a shot at anybody, I just think that sometimes there’s a place that don’t show up in the stat sheet that those guys do effectively that they don’t get enough credit for.”
Continuing the focus on defense, the Falcons should take a shot at …
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