Falcons, Dontari Poe agree to reported 1-year, $8M deal

The defending NFC champions are making a major splash on the defensive side of the ball a week into free agency.

After a series of visits with potential suitors, former Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Dontari Poe has agreed to terms with the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced Thursday.

Poe heads to Atlanta on a one-year, $8-million contract that can be worth a total of $10 million with incentives, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports, citing a source.

Poe had met with the Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars on his extended free-agency tour.

Used primarily as a run-stopper toward the end of his time with the Chiefs, Poe should have an opportunity to showcase his abilities as an interior pass-rusher in Atlanta's 4-3 defense.

Should he recapture the production that saw him tally a total of 10.5 sacks from 2013-14, the 26-year-old would likely be in line for a lucrative multi-year deal when he again tests the market next offseason.

Poe started 76 games across five seasons after landing with the Chiefs as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2012 draft. He now joins breakout pass-rusher Vic Beasley and Super Bowl standout Grady Jarrett as a key cog on Atlanta's defensive front.