The Atlanta Falcons have been very busy in free agency, especially on offense.
Atlanta made one of the biggest splashes of any team on Monday when they agreed to a four-year, $180 million deal with quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Tuesday, the Falcons stayed busy, agreeing to a three-year $39 million deal with former Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport had the news first.
Sources: The #Falcons are signing #Bears WR Darnell Mooney, giving them a key new playmaker for Kirk Cousins.
Mooney gets a 3-year, $39M deal with $26M fully guaranteed in a contract negotiated by David Mulugheta and AJ Stevens of @AthletesFirst. A top WR off the board. pic.twitter.com/EgWKYhY0b7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2024
Originally drafted by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Mooney spent his first four seasons with the team. His rookie season saw the Tulane alum finish second on the team in receiving yards with 631 to go along with four touchdown receptions.
2021 felt like a breakout season for Mooney, who became Chicago’s number-one wide receiver after the departure of Allen Robinson. Mooney had a career-high 81 receptions and 1,055 receiving yards, along with a team-high four touchdowns.
His next two years were a struggle, as the Bears struggled to find offensive consistency. 2022 saw a huge dropoff in production as Chicago sputtered to a 3-14 record, one of their worst in franchise history. Mooney managed just 493 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns, missing the final five games of the season with an ankle injury. His role diminished in 2023 with the arrival of D.J. Moore, and Mooney had a career-low 31 receptions for 414 yards and one touchdown.
