Atlanta Falcons linebacker Dante Fowler Jr., makes a tackle during a game against the Detroit Lions. | Twitter/Antwon Smith
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Dante Fowler Jr., makes a tackle during a game against the Detroit Lions. | Twitter/Antwon Smith
The Atlanta Falcons released outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr., in February, according to an ESPN report.
Fowler, who was released by the team Feb 16 after only two seasons, had one year remaining on his contract. He agreed to a pay cut for the 2021 season as part of a revised deal that contained $1 million incentive markers beginning with five sacks.
However, he failed to achieve any of the revised contract's conditions, playing in 14 games, starting six of them and registering just 4.5 sacks.
Additionally, the restructured deal would have resulted in a cap hit of more than $29 million, which would have been unsustainable for Atlanta.
Throughout his two seasons with the Falcons, Fowler participated in 28 games and started 19, recording 59 tackles and 7.5 sacks.
He led the Falcons in sacks during the 2021 season, but the team finished last in the league in this category with just 18 sacks.
Fowler's final sack came against the Carolina Panthers, following a three-game absence due to a knee injury
"Dante, like a lot of our guys, gives everything he's got," Falcons coach Arthur Smith said in January. "He's a tough football player and fun to get to know him, to work with him."
Although cutting Fowler still leaves the Falcons with nearly $5 million in dead money for 2022, it relieves the team of the bulk of his contract.
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