Arthur Blank looking for Falcons to 'reach another level' in 2023
The Atlanta Falcons are entering their third offseason under head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot, and for the first time in years, the team has salary cap stability.
Atlanta is projected to have nearly $60 million in cap space, which is the second-highest total in the NFL.
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Falcons owner Arthur Blank joined the NFL Network to discuss the state of the team on Wednesday and heaped praise on both Smith and Fontenot, but he also said he expects to see the team to kick it up a notch in Year 3.
"I think that Coach Smith and Terry Fontenot have done a great job at putting their plan in place, making good picks, getting good coaches, getting a group of good young players that are performing well and have been very competitive the last two years," said Blank.
"But I definitely think going into this third year that we're going to look for them to reach another level."
The Falcons have a core group of playmakers returning. The group includes second-year standouts Drake London, Desmond Ridder and Tyler Allgeier. Pro Bowlers Grady Jarrett and Kyle Pitts are expected to return as well.
The Falcons will explore the free-agent market to fill needs across the board. The team needs to upgrade within the trenches. This could include searching for defensive line help and shoring up the offensive line interior.
Atlanta also holds the eighth pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Given the landscape of the NFC South, the Falcons front office has a chance to stake a claim at the maligned division in 2023.
Paste BN Sports reporter Jaylon Thompson contributed to this report.