The Atlanta Falcons don’t have any glaring holes on their roster heading into 2017, but several positions could use a polish.

One of the darker stains for Atlanta this past season was at right guard, which was the weak link for an otherwise stellar offensive line. Veteran Chris Chester is 34-years old and unlikely to improve dramatically at this point in his career.

While the Falcons are supposedly intent on bringing him back, they would do well to consider bringing in an upgrade.

As it happens, this is a strong free agent class at guard and they might have a chance to poach one from the best unit in football: Ronald Leary of the Dallas Cowboys.

The frame

Weighing in at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, Leary is a solidly-built lineman who is just entering his athletic prime at 27 years old. At his NFL Combine Leary posted 30 bench press reps a 104 inch broad jump and a 4.91 second 20-yard shuttle. That’s a lot of power to pack into one body and Leary has used it well as part of Dallas’ elite front five.

The stats

No team has done a better job of pass protection over the last several years than the Cowboys and Leary has been in the thick of it at times. This past season Pro Football Focus rated Leary at 80.4 overall, which ranked No. 24 among guards. He earned strong grades in pass blocking (78.7) and run blocking as well (82.5).

The need

Few NFL lineman are equally adept at both pass protection and run blocking and Chester is no exception. In 2016 the Falcons allowed 37 sacks and 106 hits, many of which were the result of pressure created on the right side of the line. By comparison, Dallas allowed just 28 sacks and 69 hits. Just imagine what Matt Ryan could have done with that kind of protection.

The pass-blocking lapses were not all Chester’s fault, but Leary provides an opportunity to upgrade in both aspects without breaking the bank.

The figures

According to figures available at Over the Cap, the right guards that are paid the most in the NFL are David DeCastro of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kyle Long of the Chicago Bears, who are both earning $10 million per year.

Leary is not going to make that much money, even from a team that is desperate for guard help and the salary cap rising constantly.

If the Falcons are interested in Leary, it will probably take an offer in the area of $5-$7 million per season to pry him away from the Cowboys, but getting into a bidding war with Jerry Jones is not generally considered a good idea.

As free agents are concerned, this is a deep class for guards. However, Leary’s youth and experience with a top-notch line may put him near the top of the heap.