Dontari Poe signs with Falcons, adding run stopping prowess to young defense

Nose tackle Dontari Poe, who most recently played for the Kansas City Chiefs, is no longer on the market.

The massive defensive lineman has found a new home, reportedly agreeing to terms with the Atlanta Falcons, according to Pro Football Talk. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the deal is for one year, and $8 million that could be $10 million after incentives.

“Poe is an athletic, big guy that can push the pocket,” said Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff. “He will add to our defensive line group and will mix nicely with Beasley, Jarrett, Shelby and Clayborn. We are happy to be able to add him to our roster.”

Despite being a great nose tackle, Poe might be better known for his unconventional plays on offense. Last season, Poe caught a bubble screen for a score and even threw a touchdown pass.

But more importantly, the defensive tackle is a dominant defender. The two-time Pro Bowl defender lived up to his first-round pedigree in Kansas City, totaling 200 tackles, 13 sacks and 12 pass defenses in five seasons.

A lot of Poe’s work in the trenches, however, doesn’t show up in box scores. The nose tackle frequently made plays in both the pass and run games, whether by commanding double-teams to set up his teammates for easy sacks, plugging up the running lanes or bursting through the line to record a tackle for loss.

Poe will turn 27 by the season’s start, but he’s still quite young for a player of his caliber. The former 11th overall pick appears to be worth the money he’ll be paid, as he was a focal point of the Chiefs’ dominant defense for the past half-decade.

The Falcons earned a trip to the Super Bowl in 2016, but it was due mostly to its explosive offense. While the defense played strong in the latter half of the season, the inexperienced and speedy group will welcome the addition of a veteran run stopper who can shore up the defensive line.

During the offseason, the Falcons have made it a point to strengthen the defensive line. They re-signed Courtney Upshaw, and signed Jack Crawford to improve pass rushing. The addition of Poe bolsters the depth on the line. Vic Beasley and Grady Jarrett both showed just how great they could be in 2016, and the addition of Poe should further solidify the Falcons defensive front.