Falcons place franchise tag on Grady Jarrett, still working on longterm deal

The Atlanta Falcons announced Monday afternoon they have placed the franchise tag on defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

Team officials still hope to work out a longterm contract with Jarrett, a Rockdale County native, before the season, rather than having him play 2019 on a franchise tag.

“As we have said since the end of the season, getting a deal done with Grady is our priority,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said in a team release. “Applying the franchise tag to him does not change that in any way. Our aim is for Grady to be an integral part of our plan for many years to come and this allows us to extend our negotiating window.”

The four-year veteran continued to build on an already impressive resumé in 2018. Jarrett recorded a career-high six sacks, 16 hits on the quarterback and three forced fumbles last year. He also tacked on 52 total tackles and eight tackles for loss. In addition to his on-field success, Jarrett was also named the 2018 Walter Payton Man of the Year for the Falcons.

The former Clemson Tiger has been an important piece on this Falcons defense since being drafted in 2015. Jarrett has seen action in 61 games with 46 starts during his time playing in his hometown while totaling 179 tackles (95 solo) with 14 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and 40 quarterback hits. 

During Super Bowl LI, Jarrett tied an NFL record with three sacks against the New England Patriots. Since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, three other players have posted three sacks in the Super Bowl — Darnell Dockett, Kony Ealy and Reggie White.