Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett officially signed his franchise tag tender on Monday, according to a formal announcement released by the NFC South franchise. As a result, the two sides have now taken at least a step toward potentially coming to terms on a long-term contract extension.

Thanks to the newly inked pact for the 2019 campaign, Jarrett will earn a salary of just over $15.2 million.

“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 back in March, via the team's official website. “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 Falcons notably missed out on the playoffs this past season, with the rival New Orleans Saints winning the NFC South. While New Orleans once again appears primed to impress in 2019, the Falcons will need all the help they can get in order to compete against the always-dangerous Saints. If Atlanta is going to attempt to stop future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees and the rest of the stacked Saints' offense, having the formidable presence of Jarrett up front is a must.

While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to rebuild from the ground up, the Saints and Carolina Panthers will undoubtedly be the biggest threats to the Falcons next season.