3 Atlanta Falcons most likely to have their contracts restructured this spring

2. Grady Jarrett is a $20.375 million cap hit for 2024 NFL season

Grady Jarrett may be on the wrong side of 30 and coming off a major injury this past season. However, he is a future Ring of Honor member, as the Pro Bowl defensive tackle has spent his entire pro career out of Clemson with the Falcons. Where things stand now, he is slated to make $20.375 million in each of the final two years of his deal. Jarrett will be a unrestricted free agent in 2026.

Because he is such a leader on the defensive side of the ball for the Falcons, it probably serves him and the team to lead by example. While safety Jessie Bates III is the team's best player, he just recently came over to Atlanta from the Cincinnati Bengals, earning First-Team All-Pro honors in his first season with the Dirty Birds. It may be too soon to ask Bates to agree to a contract restructure.

Because this will be Jarrett's ninth professional season out of Clemson, it would not shock me if he saw some of his $20.375 million in overall salary pushed back to extra years in terms of guaranteed money. It is a sunk cost, regardless of if he is still on the team. This is a way to free up a few million. Jarrett has been asked to do this before. The big question is if he will be a willing participant again.

With him having missed the bulk of last season due to injury, the Falcons do have so much leverage.