Falcons Offseason Preview: Impending Free Agents, Draft Picks, and Top Needs

Following three straight 7-10 finishes, the Atlanta Falcons were expected to make a leap in 2024.

The Dirty Birds brought in a new head coach in Raheem Morris, traded for Matthew Judon, and signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal. All that couldn't save the Falcons from mediocrity, as they finished 2024 with an 8-9 record and missed out on the postseason despite having favorable odds.

With the Cousins era seemingly in the rearview mirror, Michael Penix Jr. is expected to take on full-time signal-calling duties in 2025. Atlanta's head-turning selection with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft has become relevant sooner than expected and joins a young core that is dying to piece it all together.

Let's check out how Atlanta's offseason will look.

Team's 2024 Schedule-Adjusted Rankings

• Overall Offense: 15th
• Pass Offense: 15th
• Rush Offense: 13th
• Overall Defense: 19th
• Pass Defense: 28th
• Rush Defense: 22nd

Team's Impending 2025 Free Agents

• Matthew Judon, OLB
• Justin Simmons, FS
• Lorenzo Carter, OLB
• Mike Hughes, CB
• Richie Grant, S
• Kentavius Street, DE
• Rondale Moore, WR
• Antonio Hamilton, CB
• KhaDarel Hodge, WR
• Ross Dwelley, TE
• James Smith-Williams, DE
• Storm Norton, RT
• Eddie Goldman, DT
• Drew Dalman, C
• Harrison Hand, CB (restricted free agent)
• Ryan Neuzil, C (restricted free agent)
• Nathan Landman, ILB (restricted free agent)
• Liam McCullough, LS (restricted free agent)
• Kyle Hinton, G (restricted free agent)
• Ta'Quon Graham, DT
• Avery Williams, RB
• Micah Abernathy, S (exclusive rights free agent)
• Dee Alford, S (restricted free agent)

Here's a look at Atlanta's list of impending free agents, per Spotrac.

The Falcons are projected to have the fifth-fewest cap space (-$5.4 million) in the league.

Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons -- two former Pro-Bowl vets who were brought into Atlanta heading into 2024 -- will hit free agency. Given their cap situation, the Falcons could let these guys walk unless they are willing to engage in a team-friendly deal. Judon and Simmons were two of the lower-graded players at their position this season (per PFF) but will likely catch some steam in free agency given their reputations.

Drew Dalman figures to be a top priority for Atlanta. He checked in with the fifth-best grade at center (per PFF) this season and would play an integral role in helping Penix get comfortable. KhaDarel Hodge is a special teams standout and was one of just two Falcons named to the Pro Bowl team this season. He and Dalman serve as clear bring-back options.

Team's 2025 NFL Draft Picks

• 15th overall
• 2nd round
• 4th round
• 7th round (via Los Angeles Rams)

(NOTE: This list does not include compensatory picks, which are typically announced in early March.)

Atlanta's lack of cap space and the Kirk Cousins fiasco stings that much more when we take a look at their upcoming draft capital.

The Falcons own the second-lowest value in the draft, per Tankathon. They -- along with the Minnesota Vikings -- have a league-low four draft picks. Currently, 59.4% of the league has at least double the amount of picks as the Falcons. Atlanta will need to use their sparse assets wisely, especially if that means trading down from the 15th overall slot.

Our Austin Swaim projects the Falcons to nab Georgia's Jalon Walker with the 15th overall pick in his 2025 NFL Mock Draft.

Team's Top Offseason Needs

• Edge
• Secondary
• Wide Receiver

The good news? Atlanta doesn't need to reupholster the offense. They ended the year with a 13th-ranked rush offense and 15th-ranked pass offense. The O-Line finished with the eighth-best pass blocking grade and a league-best run blocking grade (per PFF). That all became harder and harder to piece together when Cousins went on a treacherous zero touchdowns to eight interceptions streak.

With Penix now in the fold, this young offense has a chance to level up. The rookie looked solid in his three starts, posting 0.18 net expected points (NEP) added per attempt and has strong assets in Bijan Robinson and Drake London. Even still, it'd be nice to see Atlanta tidy up their receiving room this offseason. In 2024, Darnell Mooney emerged as a formidable target, and Cousins kept Ray-Ray McCloud busier than we expected. Rondale Moore, meanwhile, missed the whole season with a knee injury and will now enter free agency. Figure out who to stack behind or between London and Mooney.

The Falcons ended 2024 with a 19th-ranked defense, faring 22nd against the run and 28th against the pass. This offseason should be dedicated to fixing that. Atlanta had the second-worst pass rush grade and the third-worst tackling grade this season. That's why we'd like to see them bring in a top edge rusher for next year. They have some great options in the draft, including Mykel Williams, James Pearce Jr., and the aforementioned Jalon Walker.

Atlanta's secondary is already strong with A.J. Terrell and Jessie Bates III leading the way. That's never a bad thing to double down on but could be harder to come by if Simmons ends up walking. Tankathon envisions them grabbing cornerback Maxwell Hairston in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. There are some other corners that could float in that draft range, including Trey Amos and Jahdae Barron.

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