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The free-agent safety market has been rough this offseason, but at least one of them has finally found a new team. Former Kansas City Chiefs veteran Ron Parker is set to sign with the Atlanta Falcons, Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports reports.
Former Chiefs safety Ron Parker is expected to sign with the Falcons today, sources tell Yahoo.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) June 25, 2018
Parker was released by the Chiefs just two years into a five-year deal earlier this offseason. He was among the defensive veterans the team parted ways with as they looked to make significant changes on that side of the ball. Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali were two of the other notable casualties who were let go.
After struggling to firmly establish himself in the league in his first two seasons, Parker eventually caught on with Kansas City and spent four of his five years with the Chiefs as an ever-present starter in the secondary.
He played 80 total games (64 starts) for the team and recorded nine interceptions, 318 tackles, seven sacks, and five forced fumbles over those five years. He’s coming off another decent season last year as he had two picks and 67 tackles in 16 games.
Parker now joins a young Falcons secondary which doesn't have much in the way of proven depth behind their two starting safeties, Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal. They've looked to address this depth issue by adding four rookie safeties to the roster.
The 30-year-old Parker will likely serve as the primary backup for Allen and Neal and provide his veteran experience and leadership to that youthful defense as a whole. He's now just the second player after Brooks Reid on that Falcons defense who is at least 30 years old.
