The release of Ricardo Allen did more than remove a beloved locker room leader for Atlanta and open up a significant chunk of cap space. The move also ensured that as of today, the Falcons are utterly barren at the safety position, with 2020 fourth rounder Jaylinn Hawkins the last remaining safety on the entire roster.
Unlike with the left guard position, where the Falcons have a host of avenues to take but also have an established starter to fall back on if that’s their preference, Atlanta essentially has no choice but to rebuild safety in a single offseason.