The NFL Draft is complete, and the Falcons core on the defensive side of the ball is looking much better than it did 10 days ago.
That’s not half bad, especially if other young players like Arnold Ebiketie, Zach Harrison, Bralen Trice, and Troy Andersen can step up and play significant roles next season.
The offense is also in pretty good shape, with the biggest potential leap coming from the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins had his moments last season, but for the most part, he underwhelmed as the team’s starter. One could argue the best quarterback play the Falcons got all year came from Michael Penix Jr. at the end of the season, and while growing pains will be inevitable with a young signal caller, the upside he possesses is tremendous.
However, the Falcons are not done this offseason. When Terry Fontenot traded away the team’s first-round pick in 2026 to move up and draft James Pearce Jr., he sent a clear message to everybody — the Falcons are all in.
They absolutely have to make the playoffs this season, or that trade could set the organization back years. Beyond that, both Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris might not be around for another year if they don’t. Their goal before the season begins should be to make the roster as complete as possible, and there are a few areas that — if addressed — will have the Falcons primed for a postseason push.
On the defensive side of the ball, another cornerback would have the Falcons secondary looking fantastic, especially if Xavier Watts can prove to be a day 1 starter at safety. Atlanta could probably get by with what they have right now, but “getting by” is not the goal anymore, and there are options on the table for them to improve.
The Falcons could also use a run-stuffing defensive tackle to shore up the defensive line. Their group of pass rushers features a ton of promise, but they really don’t have a true nose tackle whose only job is to clog up the line of scrimmage on early downs. The good news is that there are a lot of those guys, and they don’t typically cost an arm and a leg to acquire.
Finally, the Falcons could also use some competition for Ryan Neuzil at center. He was serviceable last season in Drew Dalman‘s absence, but at the very least, the depth across the interior of the offensive line must be addressed. Which, again, is not something that should break the bank.
At this time of the year, splashes are rare, but there’s still plenty of time to make moves, and the Falcons did just that last offseason, acquiring Matthew Judon via trade and signing Justin Simmons a month before the start of the season. Those acquisitions might not have worked out quite as they would have liked, but there’s now even more reason for Terry Fontenot to be aggressive this time around, with his job clearly hanging in the balance.
