It appears the Atlanta Falcons plan to enter the 2026 season without Darnell Mooney, who would have had a $18.4-million cap hit. Thanks to Mooney’s drop in production during the 2025 campaign, the move came as no surprise to the NFL world.
Money Matters In Falcons’ Moving On From Mooney
When Atlanta signed Mooney to a three-year deal worth $39 million ($26 million guaranteed), they wanted a true WR2 to pair with Drake London. After an excellent 2024 season where Mooney had 992 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, the contract looked like a smart move, but then 2025 happened.
The Falcons are set to save $7.42 million against the cap in 2026 and a further $4.5 million in 2027 with Mooney’s release. There is still a dead-money hit for the team, but decent savings on a receiver who simply didn’t live up to the contract.
Mooney’s production dropped to 443 yards on 32 catches with only 1 touchdown in the 2025 season. That made him fourth on the Falcons receiving sheet, behind both Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson. After Ian Rapoport reported Atlanta’s intention to release Mooney, reactions were quick to follow.
Dan Duggan, senior writer covering the New York Giants for The Athletic, quoted Rapoport’s post and immediately connected Mooney with the Giants. “Feels like the type of WR the Giants could target,” Duggan posted to X on Thursday.
Feels like the type of WR the Giants could target https://t.co/uNeoWyMq1W
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) March 5, 2026
Greg Auman of FOX Sports noted Mooney’s sudden decline in production as the reason for the move, specifically the drop in his catch rate from 2024 to 2025.
“Such a dropoff last year for Mooney, who looked like a solid signing after his 2024 season in Atlanta:
2024: 64 catches, 992 yards, 5 TDs
2025: 32 catches, 443 yards, 1 TD
His catch rate dropped from 60% to 44% and Falcons didn’t have anyone to step up well as WR2.”
Such a dropoff last year for Mooney, who looked like a solid signing after his 2024 season in Atlanta:
2024: 64 catches, 992 yards, 5 TDs
2025: 32 catches, 443 yards, 1 TDHis catch rate dropped from 60% to 44% and Falcons didn’t have anyone to step up well as WR2. https://t.co/x46izyIUNq
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 5, 2026
Assistant editor for The Bears Wire and contributor for Bears On Tap, Brendan Sugrue, also posted to X that he saw this move coming after Mooney’s subpar 2025 campaign.
“Figured this was coming. I know the QB situation affected him last year but Mooney’s only eclipsed 500 receiving yards once in the last 4 seasons. Not good enough for that type of money.”
Figured this was coming. I know the QB situation affected him last year but Mooney’s only eclipsed 500 receiving yards once in the last 4 seasons. Not good enough for that type of money. https://t.co/ctcGTo55Ph
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) March 5, 2026
Davis Mattek of “The Swolecast” seemed amused by the remaining talent in the Falcons’ receiving group.
Aside from London, there does seem to be a sharp drop and a clear spot for the team to focus on during the offseason.
Falcons WRs under contract after releasing Darnell Mooney:
Drake London
David Sills
Casey Washington
Dylan Drummond
Deven Thompkins
Malik Heathlol
— Davis Mattek (@DavisMattek) March 5, 2026
Mooney is only 28, but because he has never surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in a season and has experienced a drastic drop in performance on the field in 2025, he is a risk now. There is sure to be at least one NFL team that is receiver-needy enough to take the swing, but until he proves otherwise, Mooney won’t see the kind of guaranteed money again.
