With Raheem Morris taking over as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and Jimmy Lake stepping in as the new defensive coordinator, the team now has a small but notable contingent of former Los Angeles Rams in their coaching staff. Naturally, this has led to speculation about whether they might want to bring some of their former players to Atlanta with them.
Looking at the 2024 Rams free agency class, there are several players who could potentially be on the Falcons’ radar. These include a couple of useful reserves on offense, a pair of potential defensive starters, and a strong starting option at safety and a potential starter at cornerback, if the Falcons can entice them away from Los Angeles.
There are other players across the league with ties to Morris and Lake, and those will be covered in another article. Here, we’ll focus on the limited selection of Rams free agents who might make sense for Atlanta.
Starter
Jordan Fuller, Safety
If the Falcons are looking to replace the Richie Grant/DeMarco Hellams duo instead of just adding competition for them, Morris and Lake may want to consider Fuller. He started 17 games in 2023 and has been a starter for the Rams for four seasons, showing himself to be a strong run defender and solid in coverage. Adding Fuller would give Morris a player he knows well from the past three seasons, a young option for multiple years with Jessie Bates, and another piece for the strong run defense foundation in Atlanta.
Akhello Witherspoon, Cornerback
Witherspoon could be a good option if the Falcons decide to move Clark Phillips into the slot full-time. Witherspoon played exclusively outside in 2023 and has limited experience in the slot. He’s a strong run defender and stingy in coverage on a per-snap basis, although he has a tendency to give up scores and big plays at times. He could be a solid, reasonably young starting option opposite A.J. Terrell if Phillips moves inside full-time.
Potential Starters
John Johnson, Safety
Johnson is a seasoned starter who appeared in 17 games and started eight for the Rams last year under Morris and Lake. He’s typically solid in coverage and contributes to special teams. If Atlanta is looking for someone to push Hellams and/or Grant for a starting job and serve as a capable reserve, Johnson would be a strong addition to the defensive backfield.
Jonah Williams, Defensive End
Williams is a restricted free agent, so it’s unlikely the Rams will let him go entirely. However, if he receives an original round tender as a former undrafted free agent, the Falcons could decide to sign him. Williams played quite a bit for Morris in 2023, providing above-average run defense and occasional moments as a pass rusher. Having a familiar, proven player who can be useful on early downs would likely be something Morris and company would be interested in.
Reserves
Brycen Hopkins, Tight End
Hopkins could join an unsettled tight end depth chart and compete for third tight end duties. He’s solid in pass protection and decent in run blocking, with sure hands in limited opportunities. With the new coaching staff having no attachment to John FitzPatrick and only Pitts guaranteed to be under contract, Hopkins might be a name to watch.
Austin Trammell, Wide Receiver
Trammell was a member of the Falcons in 2021 and overlapped with now-quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates when the latter was a passing game specialist that year in Atlanta. Trammell handled kickoffs and punts for the Rams in 2023 and could be a WR5 option and fallback returner option if Avery Williams’ return to the lineup goes well. He’s an exclusive rights free agent, but with such a small role on the Rams, there’s no guarantee Los Angeles will bring him back.
Duke Shelley, Cornerback
Shelley is a bit redundant to Dee Alford as a smaller cornerback with slot experience and special team value. However, if the Falcons want to give themselves another option there and more help on teams, Shelley can offer that, with plenty of experience manning the nickel and special teams work. Especially if the Falcons cut ties with Mike Hughes, Shelley could make sense.
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