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The Atlanta Falcons wasted no time beefing up their pass rush attack, as the team swooped in and signed Leonard Floyd mere hours after he was released by the San Francisco 49ers.
More news: Best Remaining NFL Free Agents Following First Day of Negotiations
Floyd's market was hot, signing quickly after his release from the #49ers. A few teams had inquired about a trade. Now, he lands back home. https://t.co/qiTOESsmCw
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2025
Floyd was cut by the 49ers as a cap-saving move, and he now lands in Atlanta on a one-year, $10 million deal.
Floyd started all 17 games in 2024 and brought in 8.5 sacks — making his release that much more confusing. However, the 49ers needed to free up some space to allow themselves some wiggle room to also address their free agency needs.
Read more: What's Next For 49ers Following Massive Free Agency Losses
The 49ers roster has been hit hard by players being released, traded, or cut. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward, safety Talanoa Hufanga, and guard Aaron Banks are among the star talents that have left.
Now, then 49ers are going to be without Floyd for the 2025 season. His release was good news for the Falcons, though.
The Falcons now have a stalwart defensive end and one that can help the team's defensive attack in more ways than one. Floyd is not only durable, but his pass-rush skills should go a long way in providing some run-stop capabilities.
Atlanta was in the middle of the pack defensively, allowing 120.6 rushing yards per game and 224.5 passing yards per game in 2024. They need to improve in both of these areas to make some noise in the NFC South.
Floyd also joins the likes of Matthew Judon, David Onyemata, Kaden Elliss, and Arnold Ebiketie as a solid unit that can disrupt yard outages of opposing offenses.
The Falcons ended the 2024 season with an 8-9 record, which was only a couple of wins behind teams like the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who made the playoffs and won the division at 10-7.
Atlanta is hoping to improve their record in 2025, and they landed a massive free agent get in Floyd. He should help to evolve the past rush for the team tenfold.
The Falcons will now need to figure out who is going to be their starting quarterback in 2025. Kirk Cousins might still be on the move, though that has not yet been corroborated.
With a strong defense in place, the Falcons can now focus on who is going to lead the way on offense.
More NFL:
5 Most Improved NFL Teams After First Day of Free Agency
Steelers Must Sign Aaron Rodgers
For more on the Falcons, head to Newsweek Sports.
About the writer
James Brizuela is a contributing sports writer located in Los Angeles. His focus is on Comics, Comic Book Movies, Video ... Read more