A new kicker signing has shaken things up.
The Atlanta Falcons are clearly prioritizing special teams yet again in 2025, with several signings that figure to heavily or primarily contribute there. The big changes at a couple of specialist spots have certainly shaken things up heading out of the first couple waves of free agency, which means it’s a logical time to hand out some arrows.
Arrow Up
K Lenny Krieg
The signs are all positive for Krieg. He received a three year deal from the Falcons with a significant signing bonus, was snapped up the day after the International Player Pathway program pro day by Atlanta, and signed with the first team he visited with. That all indicates a significant level of interest for the Falcons, which bodes well for Krieg.
He learned football fairly late in life and has only played in a European league, but kicker is one of those positions that doesn’t have a steep learning curve hopping across the pond. With a strong leg and accuracy, plus the team’s obvious interest in having him be their long-term kicker, Krieg’s arrow is pointing way, way up ahead of his summer in Atlanta. All he has to do is capitalize on his big chance.
LS Liam McCullough
The Falcons reportedly showed a level of interest in a Michigan long snapper, so maybe you can’t rule out a summer addition for competition. But McCullough just got a new contract and has been extremely reliable during his time in Atlanta, which should keep him here as long as that continues. The fresh deal and the security implied by it, and McCullough’s work in his Falcons career, means his arrow is pointing up.
KR/PR Jamal Agnew
The Falcons did not, to all appearances, make a strong effort to retain Avery Williams. Instead, they went and grabbed Agnew, who overlapped with Marquice Williams in Detroit and was an extremely productive returner no all that long ago.
Given the relationship with Williams, Agnew’s history, and the fact that he’s a 1:1 replacement for Williams, he should be headed for a quality season as the team’s unquestioned punt returner and one of its primary kick returners. Health is really the only question mark, but I’m bullish on his outlook in Atlanta.
Arrow sideways
P Bradley Pinion
The fact that the Falcons haven’t prioritized adding competition should have Pinion’s arrow pointing up, but I still wonder if that competition might come.
Pinion was 32nd in the league in net yards per punt and 34th in punts inside the opposing 20, the latter partly a function of field position and partly a function of Pinion himself. Compare that to 2023, when Pinion was 20th in net yards per punt and 19th in percentage of punts inside the 20, and 2022 when he was 15th and 18th. That may just be the product of a year that seemed to go sideways for everyone, but the sharp decline in effectiveness for Pinion last season might give the team pause. That’s especially true with $2.6+ million in savings from cutting him versus a modest $500,000 dead money hit in the final year of his deal.
That could suggest the arrow is pointing down, but Pinion has been valued by this coaching staff, does not yet have any competition or any indication that competition is coming, and is not ancient by punter standards. We’ll re-visit this after the draft, but right now Pinion’s someone we hope will bounce back.
KR/PR Ray-Ray McCloud
I don’t expect any real role change for McCloud on special teams, where he’ll pair with Agnew as one of the team’s kick returners and chip in where needed. McCloud showed last year that as a solid returner and better-than-expected receiving option, he has considerable value for this Falcons team. Aside from the possibility that a draft pick could diminish his role on offense a bit, I expect him to continue to deliver that value.
Arrow down
K Younghoe Koo
The signs are all bad for Koo, who is no stranger to adversity and now faces a fresh wave of it.
The Chargers gave up on him far too quickly and the Falcons were the beneficiary of accurate, clutch kicking for a few seasons before the wheels came off a bit last year. A combination of tinkered-with mechanics seemingly letting Koo down and injury led to his worst season in Atlanta, one that sent him tumbling down the all-time NFL accuracy leaderboard on field goals and had him at 29th in that metric in the NFL for 2024. His accuracy had been steadily slipping over the previous four seasons, but his worst years were 86.5% in 2022 and 2023, which put him around the middle of the pack in the NFL. The difference between a good kicker and a shaky one is only a few misses, and that was certainly true for him last year.
If the team viewed last year as a mere blip, they would not have rushed to sign Krieg to compete with Koo. The Falcons are likely eyeing the slippage in Koo’s numbers, his recovery, and the fact that they can save $3 million in cap space this year and over $4 million next year if they cut ties with him as they give Krieg a crack at the job. Koo could still theoretically fend off Krieg with a terrific spring and summer, but from where we sit today, I fully expect the team to release or trade him if their new kicking option shines.
After four weeks of the 2024 season, Koo looked to have put any doubts behind him. Now, it’s fair to doubt that he’ll be the team’s kicker in 2025, highlighting how quickly fortunes change for the position in the NFL. It’s a bummer given how many great kicks Koo hit over the years for Atlanta, but things look grim for him at the moment.