Fabian Moreau Signs with the Falcons

Former Washington cornerback Fabian Moreau has decided to continue his career elsewhere. The unrestricted free agent will pursue an opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons next season. Contract details have not emerged, but the length of the deal is one year.

Moreau, a third-round pick for the organization, was selected 81st overall in the 2017 draft.

The UCLA Bruin was highly touted coming out of college, and was considered the prototype size for a modern NFL cornerback. The 6’0, 200 lb CB had speed to burn with a 4.35 forty-time. In his draft class, this placed him in the 98th percentile compared to his peers, per PlayerProfiler.com.

However, his transition to the NFL had a rocky start as he tore his pectoral muscle at UCLA’s Pro Day. Prior to this injury, he had shown out at the annual East-West Shrine game, and was even invited to attend the Senior Bowl. He was projected as first or second round pick, and Washington was pegged to have a steal with its selection.

Unfortunately, his fit in DC was an awkward one, and the defensive back failed to find position stability in DC. Defensive coordinators placed him as a boundary defensive back, slot corner, and the occasional strong safety. Over time, his snap counts began to diminish and he became the odd man out in the Nation’s Capital.

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Fabian Moreau’s statistics in Washington. Notice the diminishing snap counts from 2018-2020. (Source: Pro Football Focus)

At his peak, Moreau earned a 64.3 pass coverage grade this season per Pro Football Focus (PFF). The best of his career. However, this was not enough to warrant significant interest from the team, and to make him a priority re-signing.

Altogether, Moreau leaves DC with 125 tackles, three forced fumbles, 14 pass deflections and six interceptions. He now joins Kendall Sheffield and Isaiah Oliver in Atlanta’s defensive backfield.

Washington will likely look for cornerback depth in this April’s NFL Draft or at a later time in free agency. Their top three CB positions are securely in place with William Jackson III, Kendall Fuller and Jimmy Moreland.