The Atlanta Falcons secured a vital spot on their offensive line Thursday by agreeing to re-sign center Ryan Neuzil to a two-year deal that is worth up to $9.5 million. After months of speculation and a right-of-first-refusal tender, the team confirmed Neuzil would remain after former starter Drew Dalman departed.
Neuzil, who will be 28 later this year, demonstrated his worth in 2024 during an eight-game starting role and almost 600 snaps on offense. With minimal cap maneuverability this offseason, Atlanta’s signing provides stability and potential to a reconfigured offense headed by second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Neuzil’s Road to Becoming a Starter
Atlanta’s signing of Neuzil follows the veteran lineman breaking out last season. When Drew Dalman went out with a Week 3 high ankle sprain, Neuzil found himself inserted into the starting center role and filled in quite nicely. He started the next eight games, steering a unit that assisted the Falcons to go 5-3 during that span of time and scored an average of 24 points per contest.
The coaching staff and front office were certainly taken aback by his performance and went out of their way to ensure that he remained on the roster. Neuzil first signed with the Falcons in 2021 as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State. Over the past two years, he has played 12 starts and appeared in all games in 2024.
The Falcons had placed a restricted free agent tender on him during the offseason, and that would have allowed him to go on the market, but they received no offers. His familiarity with Atlanta’s offense, players, and quarterback made him a natural and cost-effective fill-in on a full-time basis after Dalman departed for Chicago.
What Neuzil Brings to Falcons Offense
Neuzil’s strength and athleticism are two traits coaches frequently cite. Falcons offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford has praised his explosiveness and described him as one of the strongest players on the team.
That combination of power and quickness is especially valuable in the middle spot, where linemen need to be stout on the point of attack but nimble enough to kick blitz tips and pulls. In Neuzil, the Falcons believe they’ve found a certain communicator, a physically gifted leader who can hold down the inside line.
Perhaps even more significant, however, is his relationship with Michael Penix Jr., the team’s new full-time starting quarterback. Both are left-handed—a less common attribute for their respective positions—and have built chemistry with a ton of reps on the second team offense.
That stability could be worth huge dividends as Penix transitions into a full-time starting role in the NFL. Head coach Raheem Morris was sold on their chemistry and regards Neuzil as a stabilizing presence for a young, maturing offense.
Final Thoughts
Re-signing Neuzil isn’t the glitziest move of Atlanta’s offseason, but it may prove to be one of the most important. With not a lot of cap flexibility and the loss of Dalman, keeping on an in-house, proven option was the intelligent and strategic choice.
Neuzil’s familiarity with the system, coaches, and quarterback provides him with an advantage as he steps into a full-time starting role. With the Falcons seeking to upgrade behind a rebuilt roster, having a consistent center to stabilize the offense will be imperative.
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