Falcons will reportedly release Tyson Jackson

Tyson Jackson is a likely candidate for release from the Atlanta Falcons as the team looks to get younger and cheaper across the defensive front.

A familiar face might be hitting free agency soon with the word that Tyson Jackson is rumored to be on the chopping block for the recent NFC champions, the Atlanta Falcons. ESPN’s Vaughn McClure says that Jackson is a likely target for release as the Falcons look to create some more cap space this offseason:

"There is an expectation that defensive tackle Tyson Jackson, who is due a base salary of $3.5 million next season and set to count $5.85 million against the cap, won’t be back, at least not without a reduced price tag."

Jackson has become a bit less important to the Falcons over the years as they’ve gotten younger and deeper on defense. Jackson originally followed general manager Scott Pioli to the organization, signing with Atlanta as a free agent after spending his first five years in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs drafted Jackson at No. 3 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Last season, Jackson finally made the Super Bowl and showed some strong moves during the game but unfortunately it came at the end of a fairly forgettable season. Jackson started only seven games after starting 28 the previous two seasons with the Falcons. He had 13 tackles and two passes defended and has yet to register a single sack since signing with Atlanta. Then again, he did add a sack in the team’s win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game.

Jackson should still sign on as a savvy veteran with some team, likely as a rotational body to shore up the team’s run defense on one side a la a Mike DeVito type of contract. If Jackson does hit the market, I’d expect someone to appreciate his run-stopping ability and playoff experience to sign him to a three-year deal, $14-15 million with $7-7.5 million guaranteed.