Disclaimer: The statements and opinions regarding players and/or potential future players in the article below are those of the AtlantaFalcons.com editorial staff and are not of the Atlanta Falcons' football personnel unless noted in a direct quote.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have tentatively penciled in Ryan Neuzil as their starting center for 2025.
His name cannot be officially inked on the depth chart just yet because he has not put pen to paper with the Falcons. About a month into free agency, Neuzil remains a restricted free agent.
The Falcons placed a right-of-first-refusal tender on Neuzil when the new league year began March 12. This means Neuzil currently holds an offer sheet from the Falcons that, according to the NFL, would be worth one year and $3.262 million. Until Neuzil signs that offer sheet, other teams can make offers of their own. With the tender, though, the Falcons have the ability to match any offer he receives.
Basically, the Falcons have dibs on Neuzil. Atlanta needs him, too. Last year's starting center, Drew Dalman, signed with the Chicago Bears last month as an unrestricted free agent. Neuzil first joined the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He has been a primary interior reserve for Atlanta since that time and would help keep a level of consistency in place for a unit defined by that quality.
"Definitely feel confident with Neuzil," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said last Tuesday at the Annual League Meeting. "Definitely after getting the sample size that we got a chance to look at when Dalman was out."
Neuzil started eight games for the Falcons in 2024, when Dalman was out with an ankle injury. The majority of Neuzil's snaps were with former starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, but not all. Neuzil did get nine live-game reps with current starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. There were Penix's four snaps in the Falcons' Week 11 loss to the Denver Broncos, in which Neuzil took 100% of the snaps in the game. And then there were Neuzil's five snaps in the Falcons' Week 16 win against the New York Giants, in which Penix took 100% of the snaps.
"Even before that," Morris said of his confidence in Neuzil. "Watching him in practice, doing some things he was able to do. Watching the continuity between him and Mike just throughout the season, with those guys being the 2s at certain points in the season and the 1s at certain points in the season. I feel really good about those guys."
OK, but what if things don't go according to plans? It's highly unlikely, but another team could swoop in with an offer Atlanta isn't willing to match before the April 18 deadline that transfers all negotiating rights to the Falcons. Well, then the Falcons would need to see what free agents remain available or what draft prospects are realistic.
There are very, very few free interior offensive linemen searching for a spot at this point, and even fewer who earned reps at center specifically in 2024. Maybe the most active was Nick Gates, with his 82 snaps at center for the Philadelphia Eagles.
So, that leaves the draft as a more realistic option for the Falcons to aid their interior. Offensive linemen Donovan Jackson (Ohio State University), Tyler Booker (University of Alabama) and Grey Zabel (North Dakota State University) have been labeled by NFL.com as this year’s “big three” inside.
If somehow, someway even those two backup avenues don't work out, the Falcons will have to look in house. Jovaughn Gwyn and Matthew Cindric both saw preseason reps at center last year; none in the regular season. That makes it seem as though they're meant to be depth pieces.
And that's what the Falcons hope is the case again in 2025. Neuzil should be their guy. Everyone else would be around to make him better.
"You're going to try to make it as competitive as you can," Morris said. "Every single position that you have."
