The Falcons may have added bodies at wide receiver this offseason, but the concern around the room hasn’t gone away. As roster cuts get closer, CBS Sports still sees Atlanta’s biggest need at the position, even after the team used a Day 2 pick on Georgia wideout Zachariah Branch and brought in veterans Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency.
Josh Edwards laid out the issue plainly: "Even the most diehard fan would have a difficult time coming up with Atlanta's second-string receivers right now. Drake London is the belle of the ball, but Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus are the only others who have had more than a cup of tea in the NFL. The hope is that third-round pick Zachariah Branch will progressively take on more this season..."
Drake London remains the obvious headliner and is expected to deliver a top-10 season no matter who is under center. After that, the picture gets cloudy in a hurry.
Branch is still a rookie, so the Falcons are asking a lot of projection there. Zaccheaus has been no more than a WR4 type in his career.
And Dotson, despite the pedigree, hasn’t shown enough since his rookie year in Washington to inspire much confidence.
That leaves Atlanta in a familiar spot: looking for help behind London and hoping someone inside the current group forces the issue. If Dotson suddenly proves he can handle a true WR2 role, that would answer plenty of questions. If he doesn’t, the Falcons still have a major hole on their hands.
The problem is that the market has already dried up. According to the report, every quality free-agent wide receiver under 30 has been signed, which pushes Atlanta toward the roster-cut process on Monday as the best remaining chance to add. One name to keep an eye on is John Metchie III, who has been a preseason standout for Carolina but is facing a crowded wide receiver room.
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