Drew Dalman has never been an all-pro, nor has he even been elected to the Pro-Bowl, but he has become a very good center for the Atlanta Falcons, and he is also an unrestricted free agent. This may not seem a big concern to many, as the Falcons do have a replacement for him backup center in Ryan Neuzil. But are the Falcons that confident in an undrafted Neuzil that has only started 12 games in his career? Neuzil has been a pretty good backup, but can he sustain a 17 game season? If the Falcons think so, then maybe they let Dalman walk, but I’m not sure if that is the best idea.
What the Falcons probably should have done is sign Dalman to an extension before now, because Dalman’s stock is quickly rising, because the need for centers in the NFL is quickly rising. In the past week alone, 3 centers have retired from the NFL, making at least 4 (including Falcons) that have vacancies at the position.
While Dalman is not the best center in the NFL, he may very well be the best center available, which makes him that much more valuable. Maybe Drew Dalman is not in the Falcons’ plans, or maybe they are just waiting to see if other teams are interested, but regardless of either, Dalman’s value just took a significant spike, and he is in for a pretty big payday when free agency starts on March 12. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss Drew Dalman further, and his potential return to the Atlanta Falcons.
