Just one day after the Tennessee Titans plucked outside linebacker Vic Beasley Jr. in free agency, the Atlanta Falcons got to work; signing Dante Fowler to a three-year deal.
#Rams free agent pass-rusher Dante Fowler is expected to sign with the #Falcons, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. A high-end pass-rusher lands in Atlanta. Coach Dan Quinn actually coached Fowler while at Florida.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2020
Fowler bounced back after a lackluster third season in the league by recording 11.5 sacks, mixed with 16 tackles for loss and another 16 quarterback hits. The 25-year-old also made a career-high 14 starts in 2019, proving to be worth every ounce of his $12 million cap hit.
The former Florida Gator has been wreaking havoc on opposing offensive lines since the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him third overall back in 2015. However, the biggest issue for Fowler has been sticking with a roster for an extended period as Atlanta will be his third team in five seasons.
It’s not every day that an elite pass-rusher falls into your lap, so it doesn’t come as much of a shock that the Falcons pounced on Fowler immediately. A team hungry to get back to the playoffs, still loaded with offensive firepower in Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Calvin Ridley, it was only a matter of time before the team looked to improve their defense.
