1. Kyle Pitts
This is yet another season where Atlanta Falcons fans are searching for answers as to why the production is so inconsistent. Turning on the tape you see Pitts improving as a blocker and putting in effort for his teammates. Where this becomes confusing is when Pitts is running routes or finishing a play attempting to help his quarterback. So often the tight-end appears only on the field to get cardio running his route and powering down getting ready for the next play.
When Pitts is given a chance to make a catch through contact or over the top of a defender it rarely works. Pitts plays far smaller than his size and this is a problem that is difficult to fix. Effort and energy cannot be taught but must be a part of the player.
One could argue Pitts has every reason to go through the motions after enduring Marcus Mariota, Taylor Heinicke, Desmond Ridder, and a serious injury. Still, the excuses of the last few seasons didn't stop Drake London or Bijan Robinson from having big years. Pitts remains a mystery of a player the Falcons might be ready to give up on. Another frustrating season is in the books for Kyle Pitts.
2. Kirk Cousins
When the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins it was deemed a smart move for the franchise. After two years of Ridder and Mariota, things could only get better. Even after a serious injury, Cousins was believed to bring stability and consistent production to the position. This was true for the first half of the season with Cousins having elite moments.
It is easy to forget with how awful things were at the end how well Cousins played. Kirk's game-winning drives against the Eagles and Bucs set the early tone for Atlanta. They were some of the best moments of Kirk's career and gave reason to fully buy into this team.
Things would very quickly unravel with the quarterback losing power in his arm and turning the ball over. Whether or not the Falcons move away from Cousins this offseason there is zero chance he starts another game. Barring an injury to Michael Penix Jr. the Falcons spent $90-million to be able to start Cousins for 14-games. Five of those games were some of the worst quarterback play you will see. The Falcons might have found their quarterback of the future in Penix but it was at a steep cost.
3. Lorenzo Carter
Why the Falcons believed it was a good idea to bring Lorenzo Carter back for the 2024 season remains a mystery. Carter's ability to defend the run and play within the scheme were what kept him on the field in 2023. The pass rusher was only able to get to the quarterback for 2.5 sacks and was consistently unable to register pressure.
With the offseason coaching changes it was clear Atlanta's defense was changing. With it came the need for more capable and athletic pass rushers. Still, the Falcons opted to return Carter and the veteran would take a huge step back. Despite consistently being on the field the veteran finished with zero sacks in the 2024 season.
Add in the regression as a run defender and it was hard to find a reason to keep Carter on the field. The veteran wasn't highly paid or expected to be a huge contributor. However, the major regression paired with the complete lack of options Atlanta had to replace him set up an awful season.
It would be shocking to see the Falcons consider a reunion based on how the season ended. Wasted cap space the Falcons should have spent on a capable pass rusher.
4. Matthew Judon
At the time of the move, it seemed a great decision for Terry Fontenot and a desperate Atlanta front office. The Falcons badly needed pass rush help and Judon had been great when healthy. All of the evidence pointed to Judon being a great pass rusher if he could stay on the field. This wasn't the case with his effort being questioned and the lack of production quickly becoming glaring.
The deeper the Falcons went into the season the worse things seemed to get for Judon. Yes, there was a production surge at the end of the season but a lot of this was due to clean up work. Very little of the pass rusher the Falcons had watched in New England showed up in Atlanta.
Whether it was age, injuries, or simply a lack of effort is up for debate. What cannot be argued is that this Atlanta team needed Judon to be an above average pass rusher, and the veteran was far from it. The Falcons wasted a draft pick when they could have simply spent limited money in free agency and gotten close to the same production. A complete failure of a trade that appeared in Atlanta's favor early on.
Dee Alford was a great story for the Falcons working his way up to win a starting job. Alford's path into the league remains a great story and worthy respecting. However, it is clear the Falcons must upgrade a position that was out of answers by the end of the season. Teams were searching for Dee Alford the matchups didn't matter as long as Alford was the one attempting to guard a pass catcher the offense would win.
It is how the Washington game was given a fitting end with the OT touchdown to eliminate the Falcons with Alford in coverage. If you are brave enough to re-watch the Minnesota game Dee Alford jumps off the screen. Literally, the corner is twice going who can say where in the opposite direction of the football? This was not the low point for a player who would completely collapse down the stretch of the season.
Alford remains a depth piece that can give you a big play in very short doses. However, there is no valid argument that a defense expecting to be competitive can start Dee Alford. Whether in the draft or free agency Atlanta must make a move. An improvement can't be that difficult to find.
