Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Atlanta Falcons secured decent depth value with Tyrone Wheatley Jr.'s $0.8M AAV deal, earning a C+ CVI that reflects a fair investment in offensive line insurance. At under $1 million annually, this represents the type of low-risk move teams make to bolster tackle depth without breaking the bank, though Wheatley Jr. falls into that middling tier of backup linemen who can fill a role but won't elevate the unit. The modest salary structure gives Atlanta flexibility while providing adequate protection against injuries to their starting tackles, typical of how teams approach the bottom half of their offensive line roster. This deal carries minimal financial risk given the low annual value, making it the kind of contract that won't hurt the salary cap even if Wheatley Jr. struggles to contribute meaningfully. The Falcons essentially paid replacement-level money for a replacement-level player, which represents sound roster management even if it doesn't move the needle competitively.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Tyrone's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Tyrone Wheatley Jr. is a second-year offensive tackle with the Atlanta Falcons who remains very much a project in progress, having logged an undefined number of career appearances that speaks to just how little established ground he has covered at the professional level. For a position where durability and repetition are everything — where trust is built snap by snap, season by season — Wheatley Jr. has yet to accumulate the kind of sustained availability that separates developing linemen from reliable starters. His current performance grade of D+ reflects not necessarily a lack of physical tools, but rather the absence of consistent, high-level play and the developmental gaps that come with limited NFL exposure. At 29, the clock is ticking in a way that it wouldn't be for a younger prospect, and the Falcons will need to see meaningful steps forward if he is to carve out a legitimate role along their offensive front. Atlanta's investment in him at this stage of his career suggests the organization sees something worth developing, whether as a swing tackle option or an eventual starter in the right circumstance. The most important number for Wheatley Jr. going forward isn't a grade — it's games played, because until he proves he can stay on the field and perform at a consistent level, everything else remains theoretical. Watch to see whether he can secure a larger role in 2025 and begin building the kind of durability résumé that this position absolutely demands.

How Tyrone Compares at the Position

Tyrone Wheatley Jr. ranks 83rd of 189 graded offensive tackles by performance. That slots Tyrone between Kiran Amegadjie (D+) just ahead and Lorenz Metz (D) just behind.

Current Sentiment

The media narrative surrounding Tyrone Wheatley Jr. has flatlined entirely, and the public perception of the 29-year-old offensive tackle is as unfavorable as it gets heading into the 2026 offseason. His release from Atlanta was confirmed across multiple outlets covering the Falcons' transaction wire, and the framing was unambiguous — this was a roster purge of a player who never secured a foothold as either a starter or a trusted depth piece across his time in the league. That coverage aligns directly with a D+ performance grade that reflects a player operating at replacement level, having appeared in just one game during the 2025 season with no notable production or accolades to cushion the blow. The optics worsened further when Atlanta moved on from him specifically to make room for C.J. Henderson, a move that made it clear the organization viewed other positional needs as the higher priority — a quiet but damning vote of no confidence. The Falcons have since continued reshaping their roster with signings like Jawaan Taylor and Maason Smith, moves that further underscore how quickly the organization has pivoted away from any conversation involving Wheatley Jr. He now enters free agency with minimal leverage, no momentum, and a narrative that centers entirely on failure to develop rather than unrealized potential. Unless a team offers him a genuine developmental opportunity and he responds with consistent, high-level play, his standing in the league will remain at the absolute floor of the free agent market.