The Atlanta Falcons appear to have the foundation this offseason to begin fixing their pass rush.
The first step was signing a veteran. The Falcons did that, inking Leonard Floyd to a one-year deal.
The next logical step is to land an edge rusher at No. 15 overall in the first round. That would give the Falcons both a potential short and long-term solution to boost the pass rush. The draft prospect could make an impact in 2025 too.
But the Falcons don't have to settle for only boosting their pass rush in the first round. Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron argued Wednesday that it would be a great idea for Atlanta to target multiple edge rushers in 2025.
In that argument, Cameron named Alabama's Que Robinson as the best Day 3 fit for the Falcons.
"Atlanta won't fix its pass rush overnight, so taking multiple draft swings at edge rusher should be in the cards," Cameron wrote. "Que Robinson has all the tools to win as a pass rusher at the next level, and his metrics — including an insane 24% pass-rush win rate — agree.
"So, why isn’t he a first-rounder? He clocked just 370 defensive snaps across his college career, a byproduct of being buried on the roster behind players such as future first-rounders Will Anderson Jr.and Dallas Turner."
I discussed the possibility of the Falcons drafting multiple edge rushers in the 2025 draft Tuesday. General manager Terry Fontenot might not want to do that because the Falcons have limited draft capital. Before the seventh round, the team has three selections in 2025.
The Falcons also double dipped to help the pass rush last offseason. Atlanta drafted three defensive linemen, including a pair of defensive ends in Bralen Trice and Brandon Dorlus.
Trice and Dorlus, though, made little to no impact as rookies, and just because double dipping at edge rusher didn't work last year doesn't mean Fontenot shouldn't try it again -- with one key adjustment.
If the Falcons are going to take "multiple draft swings" at edge rusher, it has to start in the first round. Stop trying to band aid the unit with multiple Day 3 picks.
But after getting a top edge rushing prospect at No. 15 this year, Robinson could be a nice supplement on Day 3, especially with Floyd on the roster as well in 2025.
In August, the Falcons were willing to trade a third-rounder for veteran edge rusher Matthew Judon when in all likelihood, Judon was going to spend one season with the team. This spring, the Falcons shouldn't be shy about using No. 15 overall and a fourth-rounder for potential long-term solutions along the edge.
