The Atlanta Falcons are slowly laying the foundation to become great in the near future
In the NFL, quick fixes rarely last, but the Atlanta Falcons are slowly building a foundation of winning by addressing pressing needs.
The Atlanta Falcons are becoming a sustainable, team-oriented contender. The quick fixes at certain positions rarely last in the NFL, but Atlanta has done its homework this offseason and continues to build something more profound.
Falcons owner Terry Fontenot speaks to the media during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The cultural overhaul is built on the little things, such as practice habits, community involvement, meetings, etc.
Offensively, Atlanta has a very deep, wide receiver and running back room. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will be trusted to lead the offense during the upcoming season, and the Falcons have an immense amount of faith in him to do so after what he showed as a rookie last year, starting the last three games of the season.
Defensively, the team has undergone several changes. Grady Jarrett signed elsewhere, putting Atlanta in an already tough spot in trying to find players who fit the mold of what they want to improve upon in the lack of quarterback pressure they have had in recent years.
Atlanta would take an unorthodox approach to the draft this year by signing Jalon Walker, then aggressively trading back into the first round to sign James Pearce Jr.
Since the glory days of the 2016 Super Bowl run, Atlanta has struggled mightily to reclaim any of that magic from that year. Coaching changes, inconsistent quarterback play, and losing leads in the second half were called "Falconing." To many, losing leads was expected.
Fans have been frustrated and are looking for a new direction for this team. Atlanta may not be a legitimate contender for the Super Bowl yet, but the foundation is being laid with the talent this team has gathered.
It looks like tight end Kyle Pitts may stick around for another year, allowing him to showcase his generational talent. As long as he gets the targets, he will do so. Bijan Robinson may have an increased workload out of the backfield while splitting carries with Tyler Allgeier. A two headed monster will give each back a breather during games.
The defense will be much improved and should be able to get to the quarterback more consistently. Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Ray-Ray McCloud will also look for more targets, providing a security blanket for Penix Jr.
Fans have been patient, but the city of Atlanta and Falcons fans are once again ready to rise up.
