ORLANDO — Raheem Morris, the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, believes he could talk about recently signed receiver Darnell Mooney all day. However, it took Morris just forty seconds to explain why Mooney has won his heart.
Morris knew something about Mooney’s skill set going into the free agency process because he had seen it during the 2020 draft cycle. Terry Fontenot, general manager of the Falcons, attended Tulane, or as he playfully called it, the Harvard of the south, with Mooney.
Familiarity has been an important theme for the Falcons under Fontenot, who’s long stressed the need to make wise investments and the value that comes from having staff connections to free agents.
But familiarity aside, Morris was enamored by Mooney’s array of traits – so much that the two sides agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract with $26 million guaranteed.
“His separation,” Morris said Tuesday at the league owners meeting. “When you’re talking about Mooney, you’re talking about an elite separator. You’re talking about a guy with gas, you’re talking about a guy that can run, talking about a guy to get the ball in his hand and make plays. You’re talking about the kid, the character.”
Mooney burst onto the professional scene with a stout rookie season for the Chicago Bears, catching 61 passes for 631 yards and four touchdowns. He followed with an even better second campaign, as he saw 140 targets as Chicago’s primary option, hauling in 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four scores.
But Mooney’s role in Chicago diminished. He saw only 61 targets in both 2022 and 2023, totaling 71 catches for 907 yards and three touchdowns – a far cry from the weapon he was thought to be and once was.
Now, Mooney’s resetting – his career, his team, his life.
And the Falcons believe he’s a strong complement to the group of pass catchers spearheaded by Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
“Darnell, very excited,” Fontenot said. “He’s a really good fit for what we have with Drake and Kyle and he’s going fit right in with the type of versatility he’s going to bring to that position.”
Do the Falcons view Mooney as the sure-fire No. 2 receiver? Fontenot declined to give a number, as he doesn’t put specific titles on players, but he’s confident in the core that’s been established.
“Our mindset is we bring in good football players, and this guy might be featured this game, this guy might be featured this game, and it’s just about doing whatever you can do to find the right matchups and win the game,” Fontenot said.
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta’s new $180 million quarterback, recruited Mooney during free agency. Across the past four years, Cousins has seen the highs and lows of Mooney’s career up close.
At the end of the 2021 season, Mooney caught 12 passes for 126 yards in a 31-17 loss to Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings. Mooney’s played in three games against Minnesota since that day and has just six total receptions for 106 yards to his name.
When Cousins began his recruiting pitch, Mooney simply expressed his desire to win. Morris sensed this fire – and most importantly, recognized the diversity with which Mooney can attack defensive backs, giving Atlanta’s offense a new flavor.
“Highly competitive young man,” Morris said. “He fired me up with the opportunity to be able to go out and get him. When you see the guy be able to stand up there at the X position and probably be an elite separator for you, win some of the one-on-one matchups, some of the 50-50 downs that he turns the other way for you, really fires me up having an opportunity to do that with him.”
The Falcons’ decision makers, despite not openly declaring it, certainly spoke of Mooney as if he’s going to be the team’s top perimeter option opposite London. It’s particularly important considering Atlanta’s flexibility with the No. 8 overall pick in April’s draft, where several top receivers could be available.
Mooney, 26, is being paid to produce. He appears likely to get the snaps and targets needed to deliver, and the Falcons believe he can do so in a multitude of roles that should allow for more creativity from offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
“What we love about him is he’s versatile – he can play outside, he can play inside,” Fontenot said. “He’s a speed element. You can get him the ball quick. He can run.”
Now, Mooney hopes to be running towards better days, better production, better team results. And by all accounts, he’s surrounded by a quarterback, head coach and general manager ensemble filled with conviction that he can do exactly that.
