Raheem Mostert: 5 best landing spots for 49ers free-agent running back

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Raheem Mostert, Deion Jones, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons

Raheem Mostert #31 of the San Francisco 49ers is tackled by Deion Jones #45 of the Atlanta Falcons (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Raheem Mostert Landing Spot No. 4: Atlanta Falcons

In an ideal world, Raheem Mostert would go to a team where he’d have an immediate chance to compete for a Super Bowl, and the Atlanta Falcons aren’t exactly that. But with one of their best offensive weapons, wide receiver/running back Cordarrelle Patterson, hitting the free-agent market and likely to command a hefty deal in 2022, Atlanta might have to seek contingency plans.

Already in the red in terms of cap space ($4.65 million over the cap, per Over the Cap), the Falcons might have to settle on some cheaper, older options to bulk up a ground game that ranked 31st in the league last year with 1,451 rush yards.

Mostert wouldn’t be a long-term option at all. But with the rest of the NFC South in flux, particularly if quarterback Tom Brady leaves the Tampa Bay Buccaneers via retirement this offseason, Atlanta might wind up being one of those dark-horse teams capable of making the playoffs anyway.

If anything, Mostert’s own dual-threat capabilities would make for a safe pass-catching option for quarterback Matt Ryan as his own career begins to wind down to a close.