Falcons Could Cut David Onyemata To Get Younger Up Front
The Athletic's Josh Kendall writes that the Atlanta Falcons releasing defensive tackle David Onyemata would save $16 million on the 2025 salary cap while incurring an $8.8 million dead-cap hit. Cutting fellow defensive tackle Grady Jarrett might make more sense, but he seems untouchable. Atlanta is in need of getting younger up front on their defensive line. Onyemata hasn't been anything special since joining the Falcons as a free agent before the 2023 season, but he's been serviceable with seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He and Jarrett are both heading into their age-32 seasons in 2025. Onyemata, a fourth-rounder in 2016 out of Manitoba by the New Orleans Saints, had 45 combined tackles (second-most in his career), three sacks, eight tackles for loss and five QB hits in all 17 games (16 starts) in Atlanta last year.
The Atlanta Falcons agreed to a three-year, $35 million deal with free-agent defensive tackle David Onyemata on Monday, according to a source. Onyemata will reunite with defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. The deal includes $24.5 million fully guaranteed. He spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints and produced 244 tackles (131 solo), 23 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, 63 QB hits, one interception, six passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 106 games (68 starts) with New Orleans. The 30-year-old had 43 tackles (25 solo), five sacks, five tackles for loss and 11 QB hits in 17 starts in 2022. Onyemata should have a starting role next season as he remains in the NFC South.
New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata is in great shape, according to head coach Sean Payton, and will return to the team in Week 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Onyemata was suspended six games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances, but he'll make an already strong New Orleans defense even better against the defending Super Bowl champions this weekend. The 28-year-old had 44 tackles, 16 QB hits, one interception and 6.5 sacks in 15 games started for the Saints in 2020. Despite the return of Onyemata, the Saints defense/special teams will likely be avoided by most in Week 8 against the high-scoring Bucs and Tom Brady.
New Orleans Saints starting defensive tackle David Onyemata has been suspended for six games in 2021 for a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. Onyemata claims that he has never "knowingly taken anything that could cause a positive test," but he will be suspended regardless. The 28-year-old is a key defender for the Saints, so this is a big blow in the early part of the season. Onyemata started 30 games the last two years and has 16 sacks and 167 tackles in his five-year career in New Orleans. He's one of the better interior defenders in the league, and his 46 QB pressures in 2020 ranked 13th among all defensive interior players, according to Pro Football Focus.
David Onyemata
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Falcons
