Via Adam Caplan's twitter account, it seems that the Falcons are still very much a part of the Charles Johnson sweepstakes. While recent rumors suggest the team is now less interested in pursuing Ray Edwards than initially thought, the prospect of the Falcons landing Johnson has really heated up in the past few days.
Unfortunately, earlier today Johnson himself tweeted that his meeting with the Panthers today "went great." That's certainly not encouraging for the Falcons. Make no mistake, the Panthers will be pushing hard to keep Johnson as well. With Carolina reportedly looking to be "aggressive" in free agency this offseason, you can bet that keeping Johnson will be a top priority on their list.
Clearly, if the Falcons plan to land Johnson they'll really have to wow him with a deal. Whether the Falcons are willing to go all in on Johnson, who recorded 12.0 sacks in 2010, is still a big question. With the Panthers so far below the cap that certainly would leave the Falcons at a disadvantage.
Still, Johnson is a UGA alum, a local guy, and is very familiar with defensive coordinator Brian Van Gorder. Now that it has become a two-team race between the Falcons and Panthers, we should find out who wins very soon.
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