The Atlanta Falcons will always remember the bitter taste of the Super Bowl loss suffered last year. The team recently made the decision in resigning Devonta Freeman, who has played very well for them. He is a huge asset for the team and the organization knew that they would have to resign him eventually.
The Falcons will be looking to get right back to the Super Bowl this season and they very well could. The NFL season is going to be competitive, but the Falcons have a chance because they have kept their team together. They made a great decision in extending Freeman to a five-year extension.
The details
An article via ESPN by Vaughn McClure gives the latest details on the signing of the two-time Pro Bowler. The running back agreed to a five-year extension worth $41 million and it includes a $15 million signing bonus.
The Atlanta Falcons running back will actually be making the most money at the running back position on a multi-year contract. Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy is right behind Devonta in terms of money made per year. The Florida State product was entering the final year of his rookie contract and would have made $1.8 million this year.
A young boy from the bottom. You put that work in & stay humble, you'll be rewarded. All glory to GOD🙏🏾 Now we just gotta go get the trophy!
— Devonta Freeman (@devontafreeman) August 9, 2017
Freeman's importance
Devonta Freeman's hard work did not go unnoticed and the team knew that they would not be the same without him.
Freeman is a shifty and quick back who has the ability to score on any given handoff.
Devonta Freeman is a pivotal point of the team's offense. The article states that Freeman has accumulated "3,175 yards with 27 touchdowns over the past two seasons." The statistics speak for itself. He also became "The first Falcon to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons."
The elite running back respected the team and did not hold out on any activities.
It shows that he has patience and is respectful.
Other weapons
Aside from Freeman, the Falcons have other weapons in top receiver Julio Jones and another back in Tevin Coleman. Matt Ryan has a number of other weapons to use in receivers Taylor Gabriel and Mohamed Sanu. Coleman is a promising back to complement Freeman and he still has two years left on his contract.
General Manager comments
General manager Thomas Dimitroff gave his thoughts on the recent extension. He stated, "We are very pleased that we were able to get this extension done, Devonta embodies everything we are looking for in a Falcon." Not only is his work being noticed, but he fits very well with the team and the culture of what it means to be a member of the Falcons.
