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The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to terms on a three-year, $35 million contract with defensive tackle David Onyemata, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported on Monday.
“Expecting Onyemata’s deal with the Falcons to come in close to $12m per year,” Garofolo wrote. “Full numbers on DT David Onyemata to the Falcons: three years, $35 million with $24.5 million fully guaranteed over the first two years of the deal.”
The 30-year-old will reunite with Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who he played under in New Orleans when Nielsen headed the defensive line unit.
Onyemata spent the last seven seasons with NFC South rival New Orleans Saints, and will now play against them in 2023. The 2016 fourth-round pick ranked 34th on The Athletic's top-150 free agent list, and has compiled 23 career sacks while with New Orleans.
The defensive tackle had five sacks last season and a career high 6.5 in 2020. He is expected to start for the Falcons or “at worst be a rotational player,” according to Josh Kendall and Larry Holder of The Athletic.
“This feels like a good marriage. The Falcons finally find some veteran help for defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, and Onyemata finds a team where he’s all but guaranteed a starting role,” wrote Kendall on Monday.
“Atlanta coach Arthur Smith greatly values familiarity with players, which made this a pretty easy signing to predict given Nielsen’s time as the Saints defensive line coach. Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot also knows Onyemata. Fontenot was an assistant in the New Orleans front office when the Saints drafted Onyemata in the fourth round in 2016.”
David Onyemata figures to make an immediate impact with his new NFC South squad in 2023.
