The Falcons entered the offseason with some major decisions to make, with most of the attention on the quarterback position. While some uncertainty remains, it’s clear that they’re content to start the season with Michael Penix Jr. as their starter.
But, their decisions on the other side of the ball may be more consequential, especially if things don’t pan out. ESPN’s Seth Walder was not a fan of their draft strategy, calling it “potentially disastrous.”
Their draft strategy dropped their overall offseason grade near the bottom of the league. Their C-minus was the second-lowest grade that ESPN’s Seth Walder handed out this morning. Only the Saints finished with a worse grade (D), mainly due to their handling of Derek Carr’s contract.
ESPN’s Seth Walder Mostly Positive Regarding Atlanta’s Offensive Moves
Fortunately for Atlanta, their quarterback situation isn’t very similar to that of the Saints. Walder praised the Falcons’ decision to retain Kirk Cousins, writing that it “might have created an awkward situation, but it was the right call.” Despite Cousins’ $180 million contract, Walder is only taking the $10 million roster bonus into account for this calculation. He called the rest a “sunk cost.”
“If Atlanta decides to trade Cousins before or during the season, I think they’ll get a little more than $10 million of value,” Walder wrote. “If not, he’s worth more than $10 million as a high-end backup.”
Elsewhere on the offense, Walder had positive things to say about the Falcons’ decisions up front.
First, he praised Atlanta’s decision to sign left tackle Jake Matthews to a 2-year, $22.5 million extension. Matthews has been the definition of reliability during his career, starting every single game since Week 3 in 2014.
“Matthews’ win rates have never been as good as his reputation, but he’s widely considered a good tackle, and this seems like a reasonable move to maintain stability at a key position,” Walder wrote.
Then, he followed it up by praising the Falcons’ move to let Drew Dalman walk and replace him with Ryan Neuzil at center. Dalman missed 8 games during the middle of the 2024 season due to an ankle injury. Neuzil held his own during that stretch, allowing just 1 sack over 578 offensive snaps.
“Staying with Neuzil — who was a restricted free agent and signed a two-year, $9.5 million deal — instead of Dalman is a good move,” Walder wrote.
Falcons Defensive Moves Panned by Walder
On the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons decided to go all out on re-tooling their pass rush. But, Walder is not a fan of how they went about that process, or the edge rusher they decided to invest in during free agency.
The Falcons signed 32-year-old edge rusher Leonard Floyd to a 1-year, $10 million deal back in early March. While he could bring a much-needed veteran presence at the position, his production may not be worth the price tag. That’s especially true when you consider how much draft capital the Falcons invested at the position.
“It’s a move that didn’t look great at the time and looks worse now after the first-round double-dip, ” Walder wrote. “Floyd, who will turn 33 in September, is coming off a season in which his pass rush win rate was 13% — below average for the position.”
Speaking of that “first-round double-dip,” the Falcons’ biggest move was their shocking decision to trade up to No. 26. On the surface, that might not seem like a crazy trade. But, the Falcons decided to select another pass rusher, despite their pre-draft moves and their selection of Jalon Walker.
After selecting Walker at No. 15, which Walder called “a perfectly fine selection,” the Falcons “inexplicably dealt picks No. 46, 242 and a future first-round pick for Nos. 26 and 101.” They selected edge rusher James Pearce Jr. out of Tennessee at No. 26.
It’s no surprise that the Falcons would prioritize the pass rush, considering their struggles over the past few years. But, the combination of the draft capital surrendered and Pearce’s reported “maturity concerns” left Walder confused.
“The value was bad, but it’s potentially disastrous if the Falcons end up picking early in next year’s draft,” Walder wrote. “This was an unforced error and a bad one.”
However, it wasn’t all bad for the Falcons on the defensive side of the ball. Walder praised their move to release defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, as the 32-year-old has been “declining for years.”
“They would have had to pay Jarrett $16.25 million in cash in 2025 to keep him, per OverTheCap.com, and he wasn’t worth that,” Walder wrote.
