The Atlanta Falcons are starting to make adjustments with the NFL offseason officially kicking off. While the team is in a good place financially, they could make things better with several needs presenting themselves on the roster. They wasted no time following the conclusion of the 2015 season as both William Moore and Justin Durant were released.
The Atlanta Falcons announced Tuesday they would be parting ways with both Moore and Durant this offseason. Releasing the safety saves the team $3.35 million in cap space while dropping the linebacker saves $2.58 million in space. Moore has been with the team since 2009 when he was drafted in the second round. A return should not be ruled out, but only if the safety agrees to a much cheaper contract. Durant was a one-and-done move for the Falcons after he signed a three-year deal prior to the 2015 season. He struggled with injuries for much of the year.
The biggest question now is what is next for the Falcons. The team has shown they are not afraid to cut fan-favorite veterans like Moore, so does that spell trouble for Roddy White? A lot of question marks remain around the veteran receiver who has made it clear he has no interest in taking a pay cut. White carries a cap charge of over $6 million next season and with a limited role in the offense, that is technically overpaying for the receiver. However, White appears to have the faith of the front office as owner Arthur Blank noted he really likes the receiver.
"I have nothing but respect for Roddy and I love Roddy," Blank said, via ESPN.com. "I love what he's done for our franchise. And I love the type of leadership that he has. And I love his role as a father. When it comes to where Roddy is in the future, that's where the owner doesn't get involved. That's a decision that will be made by the coach, the coaching staff and personnel. When they're ready to do it, they'll do it. They're in the process of going through the roster evaluation now."
The future of White has been endorsed by everyone from Matt Ryan to Julio Jones. Head coach Dan Quinn stressed that White's leadership will be important to the team moving forward. That does not necessarily secure his future with the team. If White really wants to return, he might have to agree to a restructured contract for the next year in order to lessen his cap hit. White put up just 506 yards and one touchdown in 2015 while being vocal about his dislike of the new offense under Kyle Shanahan.
"Age does take its toll on players," Blank said, via ESPN.com. "Whether or not Roddy is going to have the capability at that point in time, I really don't know. But he's certainly competitively, and culturally, and community-wise, he's performed at the highest level for us for a long period of time. And during this year, in some tough situations, he played well."