Falcon Report

David Onyemata Reveals Reasons for Signing with Falcons in Free Agency

The Atlanta Falcons signing David Onyemata from the New Orleans Saints this past week began from a move made at the beginning of the offseason.

Jeremy Brener

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The Atlanta Falcons made a splash on the first day of free agency, signing defensive tackle David Onyemata to a three-year deal.

Onyemata spent the past seven seasons with the rival New Orleans Saints and the last six being coached by Ryan Nielsen, who became the defensive coordinator for the Falcons earlier this offseason.

Onyemata explained that his connection with Nielsen is a big reason behind signing with the Falcons.

"It's the connections," Onyemata told FOX 5. "Especially with Grady (Jarrett) and the guys up front and the whole defense in general. Especially knowing the mind behind the defense (Ryan Nielsen) - I've been around him for years, and he's helped my game in ways I can't even say. It's so many factors, and I think we've got the group - we've got the people to make it happen. So, that kind of plays its own factor."

Last season, Onyemata recorded five sacks for the Saints. Had he been on the Falcons, that number would have put him in second place behind Grady Jarrett, who had six. The Falcons finished 31st in sacks this past season and need immediate help in that department. Onyemata is a sign that the defensive line is improving and on the come up for the 2023 season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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