Believe it or not, the Atlanta Falcons are in a good position to do something that could significantly elevate their team for the future with the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Despite the looming issue of figuring out what to do with Kirk Cousins after signing him to a $180 million deal last offseason, the Falcons seem to have their quarterback of the future in Michael Penix Jr. The most likely decision for Atlanta will be to absorb the dead cap hit from cutting Cousins, making him more attractive for other teams to sign rather than attempting a trade.
But make no mistake about it—having Penix still on his rookie deal as he enters Year 2 gives the Falcons a rare opportunity to do something they haven’t in a long time: focus on the defensive front. Former long-time ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay believes this is the recipe for a team like Atlanta to build a championship roster now that they have their quarterback in place.
If you really go study the organizations that have had success, when they have their quarterback, they spend like drunken sailors in the draft with draft capital on defensive front guys. The Chiefs, the [Baltimore] Ravens, the Eagles, the [Buffalo] Bills—there’s a reason that these organizations stay at the top. You got one guy that can make up for a lot on offense, so you better have a great defense to match that quarterback, and that’s the recipe.
“There’s opportunity for the [New England] Patriots, the [Denver] Broncos, the [Atlanta] Falcons. This would be the year, if I’ve got three or four picks in the first three rounds, I’m using two or three of them on defensive linemen, because I don’t know if I’m going to have another opportunity to get difference-makers in rounds two and three in future years like I did this year.
— Todd McShay, via Sports Illustrated
Having a reliable starting quarterback in the NFL is one of the greatest luxuries. The Falcons not only have Penix but also a strong group of skill-position players, meaning they don’t have to worry about drafting an offensive weapon in the first round. Over the last four drafts, the Falcons have focused exclusively on offensive skill players with their first-round picks—Penix, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts.
Perhaps the biggest issue for the Falcons heading into the draft is their lack of picks. They currently have just five:
- First round | Pick No. 15
- Second round | Pick No. 46
- Fourth round | Pick No. 117
- Seventh round | Pick No. 244
- Seventh round | Pick TBD
Atlanta lost its third-round pick after trading with the New England Patriots for Matthew Judon. They were also stripped of their fifth-round pick for violating anti-tampering rules prior to signing Cousins.
If the Falcons were to follow the Eagles’ blueprint, as McShay suggests, drafting a defensive lineman in the first round this year at No. 15 overall would be paramount. After shocking everyone by selecting Penix last year, they attempted to address their defensive line issues by drafting three straight linemen in the second, third, and fourth rounds. However, none panned out in Year 1, either due to production issues or injuries. That doesn’t mean they can’t become valuable depth pieces in the future.
Additionally, the Falcons will likely have just five defensive tackles under contract when the new league year begins. It’s been highly speculated that they will cut veteran David Onyemata to free up cap space.
