Almost all of our attention is on the NFL draft, but the Atlanta Falcons made another addition in free agency late Tuesday night, signing former SMU tight end Ryan Becker.
After going undrafted, Becker spent the 2020 season with the Arizona Cardinals, but he was inactive for all 16 games. He last played on Dec. 21, 2019 in the Boca Raton Bowl.
The Falcons are not adding Becker as a pass-catcher. In four seasons at SMU, he caught only 16 passes for 198 yards although five of his receptions were touchdowns. Becker specialized in blocking and played special teams in college. He made a combined 13 starts during his junior and senior seasons.
Becker is the third tight end the Falcons have added this offseason, and the team now has four tight ends on the roster. Hayden Hurst is clearly the starter and best pass-catching option of the group.
The addition of Becker or the fact the Falcons now have four tight ends should have no impact on Atlanta’s draft plans. The Falcons are covering their bases at tight end in case they don’t draft Pitts, but general manager Terry Fontenot is not going to let a bunch of blocking tight ends discourage him from selecting a generational talent at the position. Hurst is the only tight end the Falcons have who made more than four catches in 2020.
Even if the Falcons don’t draft Pitts, there’s a chance Smith, Graham and Becker won’t all be on the active roster this fall.
