The Atlanta Falcons entered the offseason with plenty of questions surrounding their roster, but one area of need took priority during the NFL Draft and free agency: adding explosive pass rushers.
During free agency, the Falcons signed veteran edge rusher Leonard Floyd and defensive lineman Morgan Fox, who is coming off of the best three-year stretch of his career during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Atlanta then added two edge rushers in the first round of the NFL Draft, selecting Jalon Walker with their 15th pick and then paying a big price to move back into the first round to take James Pearce Jr. with the 26th pick. Bleacher Report’s Joe Moton describes Walker and Pearce Jr. as a duo that can “transform the Falcons defense into a unit that gives quarterbacks nightmares.”
Falcons Named Biggest Offseason Winner in NFC South
In Moe Moton’s article naming one offseason winner for each division, the Bleacher Report writer praised the Falcons for their free agent signings and aggressive draft strategy where they “double-dipped” on edge rushers.
Moton praised Floyd as a “consistent playmaker on the edge, logging as least 8.5 sacks and 21 pressures in five consecutive seasons.”
He then described Fox as “an underrated interior defender,” who will make “notable contributions in a rotational role,” noting his 15.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in his last three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Moton noted Pearce Jr.’s “explosiveness as a pure pass-rusher” and stressed the importance of Walker’s versatility, as he played both edge-rusher and off-ball linebacker at Georgia, meaning the Falcons can deploy him in different spots along the front seven.
Atlanta Still Ranked As No. 28 Defense Following NFL Draft
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport ranked the Falcons as the No. 28 defense in the league following the NFL Draft, saying that if they struggle rushing the passer again, “it’s going to be another long year for the defense.”
Davenport did note, however, that the Falcons have the weapons to overperform expectations next year, saying “If those young pass-rushers can get home with any regularity, the Falcons have the talent on the back end to outperform this ranking.”
Since the beginning of the 2021 season, Atlanta has recorded a total of 112 sacks, an average of only 28 per season. For comparison, the Ravens have recorded 114 sacks in just the past two seasons. I think it’s safe to say that the Falcons have had some trouble getting to the quarterback recently.
During that same stretch, Atlanta has ranked between 26th and 28th in pass rush win rate and between 26th and 29th in run stop win rate, according to the ESPN Analytics team.
General Manager Terry Fontenot Makes History With First-Round Selections
Following the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris spoke with reporters about their historic selections.
“Make no mistake about it: It is very hard to find pass rushers, and it is very hard to get out there on your first day and do it,” Fontenot said, according to Falcons Digital Team Reporter Terrin Waack. “But I got so much confidence in the people in the building to be able to help these guys go out there and be the best version of themselves every single time.”
According to ESPN Stats & Info, they became the first team in the last 15 seasons to select multiple edge rushers in the first round of a single draft.
ESPN’s Ed Werder posted on X about the Falcons making history with their selection of two edge rushers in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Falcons Pass Rushers Ready to ‘Give Quarterbacks Nightmares’