Falcons' shocking release makes Eagles' first free agent signing obvious

The Philadelphia Eagles have many needs, with one of them being at wide receiver as they try to find a replacement for Jahan Dotson and brace for a potential A.J. Brown trade.

One option just became available for the Eagles as NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Atlanta Falcons are going to release wide receiver Darnell Mooney. The Falcons had an $18.4 million cap hit with Mooney on the roster in 2026, but his release saves them over $7 million.

Last season, Mooney had just 32 receptions for 443 yards and one touchdown with the Falcons. That is coming off the heels of going for 992 yards and five touchdowns in 2024.

Falcons release Darnell Mooney, opening the door for Eagles to sign him

This is actually a perfect situation for the Eagles, as they need a slot receiver that can properly replace Dotson in the lineup. Brown and DeVonta Smith are the clear outside receivers, and even if Brown gets traded, the Eagles can easily use the draft to replace him.

Mooney most likely will not command the $13 million-per-year extension he signed with the Falcons, as it could end up being half that amount. That would still be a good deal for the Eagles compared to the other options out there.

New Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is looking to retool this offense and will need some solid weapons to work with. Mooney is a guy who could make a significant difference for an Eagles offense that lacked the explosive plays in 2025.

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Philly has other priorities they need to take care of first, with getting Jaelan Phillips re-signed and giving contract extensions to Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, but adding Mooney would be a big upgrade to a passing game that needs it.