You’ll never guess what the long-standing need is.
Since becoming GM of the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, Terry Fontenot approached free agency and the draft the same in his first two off-seasons: Fill needs in free agency with lower-cost options and allow the team the room to draft the best available player when the draft rolls around.
Last offseason, with newfound cap space, they splurged a bit to potentially push their young roster across the finish line to reach the playoffs. Instead, the Kirk Cousins experiment went belly-up and the bets on acquisitions Justin Simmons and Matthew Judon didn’t end up much better. So, it looks like Fontenot went back to the fundamentals as they navigate their most recent cap conundrum, including their low-cost approach to free agency.
However, according to PFF’s Bradley Locker, that conservative approach may lead to a potential worst-case scenario as it pertains to this year’s NFL Draft.
Among the few moves the cash-strapped Falcons made in free agency was signing edge rusher Leonard Floyd. However, given that Floyd has underwhelmed (53.9 PFF pass-rushing grade last year) and that Atlanta slotted 30th in team PFF pass-rushing grade a year ago, the team can’t get complacent along its defensive front.
As recently as last year, the predominant thought was that general manager Terry Fontenot would finally draft an edge defender once and for all, but he instead selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. over the likes of Laiatu Latu and Dallas Turner. A nightmare situation for the Falcons would be a run on edge rushers taken before Pick No. 15. Regardless, the team needs to select at least one in the first two rounds in a deep and talented class.
When you come into the first week of free agency over the cap, it will make any moves more difficult, let alone a potential search for an alpha pass-rusher.
Floyd is a worthwhile bet for the Falcons, who are looking for virtually any answers along the defensive front. Despite underwhelming last season, his 8.5 sacks last season would not have just led the Falcons in 2024, as tjat mark would have led every Falcons team since 2013, aside from 2016 (Vic Beasley) & 2017 (Adrian Clayborn and his six sacks against the Dallas Cowboys).
That’s 10 out of the last 12 seasons. Over 86% of Falcons football over the past decade-plus, the team hasn’t had a pass-rusher that can break the 8.0 sack mark.
Still, Atlanta can’t afford to put all its faith in one bet on an aging pass-rusher, no matter how consistently he has been able to hit this mark that has eluded Falcons pass-rushers for this long.
Aside from Floyd, there is the bet on a returning Bralen Trice, who missed last season due to a torn ACL in preseason. There’s the bets on the development of young players’ pass-rush skills on the defensive front such as Ruke Orhororo, Brandon Dorlus, and Zach Harrison.
And while these are a lot of darts that are being thrown at the board, none of these seem to be the answer to Atlanta’s long-standing need for an alpha pass-rusher. That means that, as PFF suggests, one more dart-throw is necessary.
Coming out of this draft with Shemar Stewart, Jalon Walker, Mike Green, Mykel Williams, even Donovan Ezeiruaku or James Pearce, Jr is an important step to finding the secret to revamping this Falcons pass rush.