Terry Fontenot: Falcons ‘Different Level of Resources’ to Change Free Agency?

From a veteran-laden team with little cap space to a group of upstarts and the second-most money to spend, Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot is in a new position this offseason – but will his process change?

LAS VEGAS – Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot stood in front of the microphone at the end of the fourth and final day of practice ahead of the East-West Shrine Bowl, in which the Falcons staff will be leading the East team.

But the Shrine Bowl is just the tip of the iceberg for Fontenot, set to enter his third season as Atlanta’s top decision maker.

After two years spent battling the salary cap and being forced to watch from the sidelines at the start of free agency, Fontenot and the Falcons have the second-most money to spend this offseason, with the number currently standing around $56 million but could inflate to as much as $80 million following extensions, cuts and restructures.

As such, while the Falcons are coming off a pair of 7-10 seasons during the first two campaigns under Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith, there’s reasons for optimism – starting with the track record of free agency success despite little money to spend.

“I think you always want to work hard to find value,” Fontenot told Falcon Report. “We have a scouting staff that does an outstanding job in the draft. It's not just about the first round or the second round, it's about finding depth throughout the draft and it's about undrafted free agency and finding players 24/7, 365. So, it's all important. Even if you don't have as many resources to go spend a lot of money in free agency, there are a lot of good players out there and we just got to find them.”

Fontenot added that the personnel staffs do a “really good job” – and look no further than what’s already been accomplished.

In the first offseason under Smith and Fontenot, priority No. 1 was to build a culture … so the direction was to add veterans who aided in that goal. Players like tight end Lee Smith, safeties Erik Harris and Duron Harmon and linebacker Brandon Copeland all accomplished that – as did running back Cordarrelle Patterson, who become the first player in franchise history to record at least 500 rushing and receiving yards in the same season despite playing on a one-year, $3 million deal.

The draft was much the same – just look at the fifth round. Defensive tackle Ta’Quon Graham, outside linebacker Ade Ogundeji and cornerback turned running back and return specialist Avery Williams all started games; this past season, Graham became a force inside next to Grady Jarrett, Williams led the NFL in yards per punt return with over 16 and Ogundeji built a niche as an early downs run defender.

The offseason thereafter, Fontenot drafted two players – receiver Drake London (first round) and running back Tyler Allgeier (fifth round) – who broke franchise rookie records at their position. Six rookies started at least one game, including undrafted free agent nose tackle Timmy Horne.

In essence, when Fontenot says the Falcons have “just got to find” good players, there’s reason to believe he and the rest of the personnel staff will do exactly that.

And yet, even with the “different level of resources,” as he worded it, Fontenot stressed that he’ll remained disciplined with money and nothing will change in his process – in part because it’s what has helped build the identity he and Smith set out to do two years ago.

“It's very important to know who you're signing, who you bring in the building,” Fontenot said. “We're always going to focus on makeup and focus on culture. So, we have to make sure we're bringing the right players in the building (and we) will still sign one-year contracts. That's a valuable, it's something valuable to do.

“And just because you have more cap space, the process doesn't change. We still evaluate all the players and there are going to be some players that you want to bring it on one-year deals and some players that will have more multiyear deals, but we have to make sure we know (the makeup).”

And with that, the offseason cycle returns to Fontenot’s presence in Las Vegas. He noted that 25 percent of the players in the Shrine Bowl get drafted and 50 percent end up on rosters, making the access a “huge difference” come April.

At an event billed as a draft showcase, most eyes are on the “really good players” who hit the field – even with free agency chronologically closer. It’s simply another part of the process for Fontenot and staff, who weigh their draft ideas when formulating the free agency strategy.

“It all ties in together,” said Fontenot. “So, even when you're looking at free agency and looking at what's on the market, you actually know what’s going to be available for your draft and it all ties in. And when you're making decisions, not only (the) upcoming phrase, and it's not only draft picks for players that could be traded, players that their contracts could void, there's a lot of different elements to it. And you have to look at everything together because it all ties in to your big plan.”

Ultimately, Fontenot just wants to win – no matter if the roster building occurs in free agency or the draft. Coming from a Saints organization that made the postseason in each of his last four years, Fontenot understands what it takes and desperately wants to get Atlanta to that level.

It’s part of why he’s constantly focused on improving himself, be it his process or the way the organization goes about its business … which is as frequent of a situation as roster building.

“I think you look at every process that you have and everything you do,” Fontenot explained to Falcon Report. “We’re constantly looking at the actions (and) plans and what we can do to improve - that's a daily process. Also, I would say anything that I've been involved in, I'm always looking in the mirror and trying to see how we can improve in those areas. So, I think that's just an ever growing process continuing to try and evolve and get better.”

In a sense, Fontenot embodies the arc of the Falcons; an ever-growing individual focused on the process and continuing to maximize the resources he’s been given.

From one of the oldest teams in the league in year one to the second-youngest in year two, Atlanta’s undergone a serious makeover … but the process (and goal) hasn’t changed – no matter the level of resources.

“You’re trying to do your best to win football games,” said Fontenot, who’s now set for a “critical” three-month stretch that could define his tenure in Atlanta … but he’s only focused on evolving both himself and the Falcons organization moving forward.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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