When the Denver Broncos released Montee Ball, you knew he wouldn't be unemployed for long. Young, between-the-tackles running backs tend to attract a lot of interest from teams, which is exactly the case here. Now we know at least one team interested in the former Broncos' running back with the report that the Atlanta Falcons have expressed interest.
The Falcons enter the regular season in a rough situation at running back. Devonta Freeman, who was expected to have a major role this season, is still nursing a hamstring injury that he suffered early in the preseason. While he has been able to practice, Atlanta is trying to be cautious with the tendency for hamstring injuries to be aggravated easier than normal.
If Freeman is unable to go Week 1, Atlanta is left to rely on rookie Tevin Coleman as the starter and Terron Ward as his only backup. The Falcons parted ways with Antone Smith with an injury settlement, leaving them in a horrible spot.
Ball makes a lot of sense for the Falcons. They don't have a big back who can fight for yards between the tackles, leaving a vacancy that Ball could fill almost right away. More importantly, he would give the Falcons a healthy running back who they could rely on to handle touches and be durable over the course of the season.
If Ball was to sign with the Falcons, it's still hard to like this situation from a fantasy perspective. Atlanta's offensive line will not deliver in the run-blocking department, creating holes for the running backs to get through. Meanwhile, when Freeman returns from the hamstring injury, the Falcons will have three running backs competing for carries on a passing team.
This is all just speculation though. It's possible Atlanta is expressing interest, but will ultimately not like Ball's asking price or Ball will seek a better situation. As always, eDraft will keep you up to date on the situation as it unfolds.