Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore of Atlanta Falcons WRs ‘as advertised’ in OTAs

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – On Feb. 15, Ike Hilliard spoke for the first time since becoming the Atlanta Falcons’ wide receivers coach on Raheem Morris’ new team.

Hilliard had been hired just two weeks before, but he already had a vision of what he hoped his room would look like by the end of the offseason: more explosive.

At the time, the Falcons had just one wideout on the roster — Drake London — who made receptions last season. So Atlanta’s coaching staff and player personnel department got to work, understanding the nuances the new coaches wanted and the methods with which to add pieces.

Darnell Mooney was the first big domino to fall, with the former Chicago Bears player signing a three-year, $39 million contract on March 15. The Falcons then signed former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver and special teams ace Ray-Ray McCloud and acquired the slot playmaker. Rondale Moore in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals.

Atlanta added several more throughout the spring, including a reunion with veteran KhaDarel Hodge and the sixth-round selection of Casey Washington in the NFL Draft.

Mission accomplished for Hilliard? Reflecting on the three months that passed between that mid-February afternoon and May 22 in Flowery Branch, the 10-year former NFL wide receiver believes it – especially with the value of having four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins ​​​​under center.

“I think having only Drake under contract, we knew it was important to add guys like Mooney and Rondale Moore,” Hilliard said. “Adding Ray-Ray (and) grooming some of the younger guys that we added to our room was a big deal for us because we have a quarterback that has pretty much seen it all.”

Mooney and Moore were the first two mentioned by Hilliard, and for good reason: They may be the two flashiest toys the Falcons added to their receiving corps this spring.

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Mooney, 26, went from fifth-round pick to 1,000-yard receiver in just two years with the Bears, but hit a wall over his last two campaigns, hauling in 71 catches for 907 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games, starting all but one.

The inconsistency around him has often been cited as a problem, and he has missed seven games due to injuries during that span. But the player who became a hot target in 2021 because of his separation, versatility and speed still has those traits in his arsenal, Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot said during the league’s owners meetings in March.

And Hilliard, who has participated in five OTA sessions and a plethora of meetings with Mooney, also feels confident about what’s to come.

“It represents everything that was announced,” Hilliard said Wednesday. “We know personally how good he is. Whether the world knows it or not, we can’t wait to get him back in front of everyone because this guy is extremely talented.”

The Falcons have two full outdoor practice fields at the IBM Performance Facility. At the end of OTA sessions, while special teams drills and occasional installations take place on one field, a small group plays catch on the other.

They’re Cousins, London, tight end Kyle Pitts…and Mooney, who was thrust into the hallowed company of Atlanta’s leaders in targets and receptions last season and looks ready to join them in this category this fall.

Moore, who was acquired in the Desmond Ridder trade, was not involved in the squad, but he also did not participate in practice this week after suffering a hamstring injury the previous week. Hilliard said he hated that the Falcons lost Moore at the moment, but Morris didn’t seem concerned Tuesday about any long-term injuries on the roster.

Nonetheless, internal optimism surrounds Moore, who Morris said “drove me crazy” trying to come up with a game plan against him over the past three years.

Moore, 5-foot-7, 181 pounds, had the least productive receiving year of his career in 2023, hauling in 40 receptions for 352 yards and a score. However, he had his best campaign on the field, totaling 178 yards and a touchdown on 28 attempts.

Fontenot and Morris are excited about Moore’s speed and the variety of ways he can be used by offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.

As for Hilliard, perhaps no player embodies his original offseason focus better than Moore, who ran a 4.29 40-yard dash at Purdue’s 2021 pro day.

“We wanted to go faster,” Hilliard said. “Rondale may be one of the fastest humans in the National Football League. We just need him to continue to grow and progress in this offense – that will be huge for all of us, just for him to can establish itself and carve out a role for itself that’s important for what we’re trying to put on tape.

During his three years as Falcons head coach, Arthur Smith often looked for other ways to create big plays. Morris, Robinson, Hilliard and the rest of the Atlanta staff wasted no time trying to find solutions during their first acquisition period in the spring.

But speed doesn’t just allow you to get the upper hand on defenses. Moore and Mooney have each been praised for their separation, and the quicker they get open, the less time the offensive line has to block and the more anticipatory Cousins ​​can be.

The story surrounding Atlanta’s offense this spring is about the quarterbacks, whether it’s Cousins ​​or first-round pick Michael Penix. When weapons are discussed, London, Pitts or running back Bijan Robinson often dominate the conversation.

Quarterback play is paramount to success and is one of the main reasons Smith didn’t get a fourth year. There’s a palpable internal buzz around Cousins, and the same goes for the trio of point guards drafted in the top 10.

Still, for the Falcons to maximize their true offensive potential, secondary playmakers like Mooney and Moore must deliver on their promises – but blink and you might miss them.

“I think the quicker things happen and the quicker (Cousins) can process them and get the ball where it needs to go, we become a better offense,” Hilliard said. “If we can be effective and consistent with that, we’re going to put a lot of pressure on defenses.”

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