ATLANTA — The Falcons signaled Monday that Vic Beasley's time with the team has effectively come to an end, saying they "will not pursue negotiations" with the free agent linebacker.
Beasley has been a mainstay in Atlanta for five seasons since the Falcons drafted him with the eighth overall pick in 2015.
But his trajectory mostly tailed off after his second year in the league, when he looked like one of the breakout defensive stars in the NFL. He led the league in sacks in 2016 and was named a first-team all-pro.
He hasn't made the Pro Bowl since, though. He only started 17 combined games the following two seasons, and totaled 10 sacks.
He bounced back this year, with eight sacks and 12 quarterback hits in 15 starts - both his best numbers since 2016 - and the most tackles (42) of his career.
But the Falcons appear ready to move on, with team general manager Thomas Dimitroff leaving little to interpretation in a team statement. Beasley made $12.8 million last season, making him the second-highest paid player on the team.
"As we continue to craft our 2020 roster, we'd like to thank Vic for five years of effort on behalf of our organization," Dimitroff said.
If the Adairsville native's time in Atlanta is indeed over, he finishes with 37.5 sacks and 156 tackles.
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