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ESPN Slams Atlanta Falcons Free Agency Class in Latest Rankings

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ESPN Slams Atlanta Falcons Free Agency Class in Latest Rankings


The biggest moves in NFL free agency have already been made, but the Atlanta Falcons were forced to watch from the sidelines with very-little salary cap space for the 2025 cycle.

They addressed some needs with linebacker Divine Deablo, edge rusher Leonard Floyd, and safety Jordan Fuller. However, ESPN’s Ben Solak was critical of the Falcons ability to sign players as well as who they signed.

Solak recently ranked all-32 NFL teams and their 2025 free agency classes on ESPN+, and he has the Falcons dead last at No. 32. He listed what he loved and didn’t love from each class. Atlanta entered free agency ranked between 30 and 31 in available-cap space according to Spotrac, and that helped shape the narrative for Solak.

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It was all downhill from there.

“Pretty much nothing,” Solak wrote about what he loved in the Falcons’ class

What he didn’t love? “Pretty much everything.”

Ouch.

Solak immediately took the Falcons to task for poor salary cap management before digging into the players Atlanta signed.

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“The Falcons walked into this cycle with a preposterously little amount of cap space for a team that hasn’t appeared in the playoffs for the past seven seasons,” wrote Solak. “But what they spent on doesn’t move the needle.”

The Atlanta Falcons are doing a good job of turning quarterback Kirk Cousins into the bad guy, but they’re the ones who signed him to a two-year guaranteed contract. Cousins’s money was always going to be part of 2025. That he’s not the starter has nothing to do with his cap hit, whether they trade him or not (a trade helps the 2026 cap).

Questions about why this team parlayed themselves into such a poor position are valid.

However, Solak may have let his disdain for Atlanta’s cap management bias his thoughts on the players they signed.

“Floyd is a Raheem Morris retread and lacks the pass-rush juice to save an anemic front four in Atlanta,” wrote Solak. “Morgan Fox was once a handy player, but is a few years beyond his prime. Deablo probably will not break the starting lineup behind Troy Andersen and Kaden Elliss. Fuller, another Morris retread, will have the same athletic limitations Justin Simmons did in 2024.”

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I feel salary cap management is a different category than scouting and signing. The Falcons did a poor job of allocating their resources last year and flushed up to $100 million down the drain on Cousins.

Given how poorly the Falcons played under previous defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, upgrading the play at specific positions shouldn’t be overly difficult. Is Justin Simmons a better player than Jordan Fuller? Probably, but he didn’t very well last year.

Getting better play out of the safety spot from Fuller than Simmons in 2025 under new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich isn’t a leap of faith, it’s almost a certainty.

Edge rusher? The Falcons sent a third-round pick to the Patriots for Matthew Judon to watch him chase running backs on wheel routes into the secondary. Is Leonard Floyd better than Judon? That one is up for debate, but Judon was poor for the Falcons. Floyd will play better at edge than Judon did.

With a one-year, $10-million deal when premier pass rushers are making $30-million-plus, Floyd isn’t being asked to save an anemic front four. He’s being counted on to improve it.

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As far as Deablo sitting behind Troy Andersen – Andersen has started six games in the last two seasons. Simply being healthy gives Deablo a leg up on Andersen. If Andersen is healthy, Ulbrich has one of the most athletic linebacker rooms in the NFL and gives Elliss the license to free lance on the pass rush more often.

The Falcons may have had the worst free agent group in the NFL, but it’s easy to see how the players Atlanta signed this month can help the team in 2025 without burdening them financially beyond this season.



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Atlanta, GA

Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles

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Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles


A man was arrested at a concert last week after he shoved two kids off their bicycles, causing one of them to fall into a fountain, Sandy Springs police said. FOX 5 Atlanta’s Brittany Edney reporting. 

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Atlanta, GA

Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown

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Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown


Photo by Luke Beard

When Muchacho first opened along the Atlanta Beltline and Memorial Drive, it became known as a place shaped as much by its surroundings as by its menu. That site, housed in a 100‑year‑old train depot, set the tone for how the brand approaches expansion: start with the bones of a building, then let the space tell the story. The newly opened Muchacho West Midtown follows that same philosophy.

“We like to celebrate unique attributes of each property and work with the palette we’re given,” says founder and owner Michael Lennox. While the original Muchacho is defined by its long, narrow footprint and Spanish tile roof—features reminiscent of its former life as a train depot—the West Midtown location leans into an industrial past rooted in automotive culture: a former Meineke car care shop. Big windows reference former garage doors, while retro racing details appear inside.

Inside Muchacho on the Westside

Photo by Luke Beard

Still, the connective tissue between the two locations is clear. Both spaces draw heavily from Muchacho’s Southern California skate‑and‑surf roots. At Muchacho West Midtown, familiar playfulness appears via a blue‑orange‑yellow racing stripe pattern, a three‑dimensional pegboard gallery wall used to hang art and plants, and vintage Meineke signage. A life‑size cardboard cutout of George Foreman, once the pitchman for Meineke, underscores Lennox’s willingness to lean into humor and nostalgia. “It’s a playful brand,” he says.

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A functional halfpipe for skateboarding anchors the outdoor experience and will double as a performance space for bands and DJs. In about a month, a 4,000‑square‑foot “tropical secret garden” with tall bamboo lining the perimeter will open on the south side of the property. Another 1,500 square feet of patio space wraps the west and north sides, currently welcoming about 80 guests. Altogether, the West Midtown location will accommodate about 215 guests, making it comparable in size to the original, with a little more outdoor space.

Crispy chicken sandwich

Photo by Luke Beard

Muchacho West Midtown opened with the same core menu that made the Beltline location a staple: tacos, breakfast burritos, coffee, cocktails, and beer. Standouts like migas, chilaquiles, carne asada, and al pastor continue to be available. Over time, however, Lennox says each location is expected to develop its own personality, driven by the chefs who have “a pretty wide creative latitude.” Chef Betty Aparicio, formerly of Chido & Padre’s, steers the kitchen on the Westside.

“We want to nurture some immediate familiarity while providing space for some special moments you can only have at each location,” Lennox says.

Margarita

Photo by Luke Beard

One of these special moments will take place April 4 at a grand opening party dubbed MuchachoFest. Expect bands, a fortune teller, a mini skate park in parking lot, food and drink specials, and giveaways. “It’s going to be a fun day in West Midtown,” Lennox says.

A third Muchacho location will debut in the old Revival space in Decatur this summer. In addition, the Electric Hospitality team is bringing Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall to the Westside. Slated to launch in May on 11th Street, the convivial restaurant and bar will feature a 5,000-square-foot courtyard with an airstream bar, stage, and Crepe Myrtles, and a 45-seat island bar inside. Formerly a single-story warehouse from 1950s or ’60s, Ladybird West Midtown will offer the same food and beverages as its Eastside sibling with room for the chef and mixologist to add their unique touches.

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Atlanta, GA

Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels

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Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels


A Buckhead apartment building was evacuated for a time late Tuesday night due to a carbon monoxide alarm. 

What we know:

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The incident occurred at an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Pharr Court South. 

According to Atlanta Fire Rescue, firefighters are investigating elevated carbon monoxide levels.

The entire building was evacuated as a precaution. 

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One person was evaluated at the scene for possible carbon monoxide exposure. 

Crews ventilated the building while they looked for the source.

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Firefighters say they were able to finally locate the source and contain it.

Once readings were back to a safe level, residents were allowed back inside the apartments.

What we don’t know:

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It remains unclear how many residents were displaced by the evacuation. 

The Source: The details in this article come from the Atlanta Fire Rescue.

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