As the quarterback debate in Atlanta rages on, a specific item being considered now is the true cost of signing a veteran. Spotrac & OverTheCap released their numbers this week. Spotrac has the team at $37.48 million available while OTC has a slightly higher number at $41.62 with the Top 51 roster spots. If the Falcons bring in Kirk Cousins at an approximate $40 million per season, they will have to do some accounting to make it work.
General Manager Terry Fontenot will have to work his magic with the roster as well as hit on several key draft picks to make it work. The Falcons would likely take the top available pass-rusher with the No. 8 overall pick and then take the top receiver in the second. This would allow the team to spend whatever remaining money is available to spend on a cornerback as Jeff Okudah is set to depart in free agency.
Teams like the Saints and Rams have been able to avert crisis mode with the cap for the last several seasons by converting salary into signing bonuses and other handy tricks to not have their signal callers take up a majority of the cap. The Falcons can deploy these same tactics to make it that Cousins does not bar the team from signing other necessary pieces.