The first wave of free agency is over, and what’s left is not going to knock your socks off. That assumes you’re wearing socks, but roll with me.
With the Falcons still looking to patch a few holes and pump up a few weaker areas of the depth chart, though, there’s talent available to help with that. Here, I’ll point out one option I think might be a good fit for the Falcons’ dollars and needs at a handful of key positions, as well as naming a few other options if they lose out or pass on the ones
I’ve named.
Feel free to take to the comments to tell me who I missed and who you’d prefer, as is your right as a Falcoholic.
Defensive linemen
D.J. Reader
The Falcons could still use a true, truly effective nose tackle at the heart of this defensive line. Reader is the best they’re going to do on the open market, and he’s still available.
Reader has been good-to-great every year he’s been in the NFL, and his size (335 pounds), strength, and underrated pass rushing skills mean he’d be a major boon to a Falcons line that is mostly young promising players who haven’t entirely figured it out and solid stopgap veterans. Reader clogging up the middle would make life so much easier for Ruke Orhorhoro, Brandon Dorlus, Zach Harrison, and so forth, and would turn what looks like a pretty solid group into a potentially terrific one. If Atlanta’s serious about stacking up the trenches, a one-year deal for Reader would fit their ethos this offseason, even if it might slightly strain the budget.
Other options: Khalen Saunders, Sam Roberts, Jay Tufele, Bilal Nichols, DaQuan Jones
Outside linebacker/EDGE
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
You’d probably like me to aim higher, but I think we have to consider the state of the position and Atlanta’s priorities. They’ve signed three guys already, have two young players with somewhat uncertain 2026 outlooks, and don’t have a ton of money.
In the spirit of short-term auditions for potential long-term fits, you could do worse than Tryon-Shoyinka. The Falcons have Jalon Walker, Azeez Ojulari, Samson Ebukam, and Cameron as their top four options right now, with Bralen Trice figuring in if he’s healthy and James Pearce Jr. if he is indeed playing this year. Tryon-Shoyinka is never going to live up to his first round pedigree and has missed far too many tackles in his career, but the disappointment of not reaching the heights his draft status suggested mask the fact that he’s been incrementally improving since he arrived in the NFL.
As the fifth guy in your rotation, the soon-to-be 27-year-old still offers some upside and a decently well-rounded skill set for what’s likely to be very little money, and is a capable special teamer to boot. It’s a worthwhile signing to see if JTS has more than he’s offered to this point in his career, especially given that I can’t see the Falcons investing any significant funds in this position group at this point.
There are other options, of course. Leonard Floyd’s price point doesn’t make a ton of sense for Atlanta, probably, but he’s a familiar face and the Falcons could use another high-floor player who can rush the passer. Fowler makes sense for similar reasons.
Other options: Leonard Floyd, Dante Fowler Jr., Marcus Davenport
Inside linebacker
Ronnie Harrison
The Falcons are probably looking at competition and high end reserves at inside linebacker unless they’re hot to trot for a particular prospect in the draft. Bringing back Harrison would make a lot of sense in that light.
The converted defensive back had one brutally bad game against the Panthers where he missed four tackles and is not necessarily a coverage standout, but otherwise his 2025 was a very pleasant surprise. After effectively supplanting JD Bertrand as the team’s top ILB reserve and Divine Deablo’s injury replacement, Harrison showed good instincts against the run, an ability to get pressure, and a general level of aggression and quick decision-making that was welcome after Bertrand’s struggle. As competition for Christian Harris or just a useful reserve Jeff Ulbrich trusts, Harrison makes plenty of sense.
You could aim a little higher with Lavonte David if you want a slam dunk starter—and it would be fun to try to poach him from Tampa Bay—but he’s going to be much more expensive and his play may be starting to slip.
Other options: Lavonte David, Kenneth Murray, Josh Woods
Cornerback
Tre’Davious White
The Falcons have not given any real indication to this point that they’re considering replacing Mike Hughes, but if they wanted their final splash in free agency to be exactly that move, I’d take it. Hughes had a quality 2024 but has been mediocre in two of his three seasons in Atlanta overall, and did not thrive in Jeff Ulbrich’s defense the way, say, Dee Alford did last year.
White is probably the best bet. He chiefly plays outside and remains stingy in coverage—he allowed just under 47% of the passes thrown his way to be completed in 2025—and that makes up for some missed tackles and inconsistent run defense. The Falcons are going to be rolling with Billy Bowman Jr. and friends at the nickel, so having a really reliable corner opposite A.J. Terrell makes a lot of sense given the relative uncertainty there.
Lammons is a useful reserve who can start in a pinch, Witherspoon is still a useful player, and Lattimore and Oliver might have something to offer with a change of scenery.
Other options: Chris Lammons, Ahkello Witherspoon, Marshon Lattimore, Isaiah Oliver
Running backs
Khalil Herbert
It was not all that long ago that Herbert looked like a promising committee back, averaging over 4.5 yards per carry and putting up over 1,700 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 364 carries over his first three seasons in the NFL. He fell down the depth chart in Chicago and has not been able to get a foothold at stops in Cincinnati, Indianapolis, New York, and Seattle, but in all those cases there were multiple established players in front of him.
In Atlanta, he’d be the clear-cut second option behind Robinson, and he brings decent value as a receiver out of the backfield and as a kick returner. He also takes care of the football, with just three fumbles in 416 career carries, and has good enough vision, strength, and agility to take advantage of Atlanta’s usually strong blocking up front. Affordable, looking to prove something after repeatedly getting buried on depth charts, and with a bit of welcome versatility, Herbert can likely be signed cheaply and has the experience and talent to step in and carry the load for a bit if called upon to do so. Out of the remaining options, he’d be one of the better ones. Oh, and Ian Cunningham knows him from their shared time in Chicago, if you’re looking for links.
Gibson as a pass-catching back and Haskins as a pretty effective runner would also make sense.
Other options: Hassan Haskins, Antonio Gibson, Nick Chubb
Quarterbacks
Cooper Rush
In trying to get a third quarterback who can be effective injury insurance for Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., the Falcons will face some difficulties. You’re not going to get a Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor, or Jimmy Garoppolo because those guys can land roles as backups. You’re not going to want to spend the absolute bare minimum and end up with someone completely unplayable; while the argument that the season is sunk if you’re down to your third guy is legitimate, there is a baseline level of quarterbacking that can maybe keep your season afloat for a couple of games.
Rush was dismal last year for the Ravens, which may give you pause. But prior to that, he had been a decent-enough injury fill-in and backup in Dallas, where he had 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 38 games and 14 starts. He’s a pure pocket passer with a merely decent arm, but Rush can effectively read defenses, get the ball out pretty quickly and accurately, and largely avoid bad throws. Unless last year was a sign his skills magically eroded in a single season, Rush is about as good as it’s going to get for a player who would conceivably sign on as a third quarterback. The Falcons can afford to pay just a little more for their third guy because they’re paying so little to Penix and Tua.
I really don’t want to dip into the next tier down, but there are guys out there with limited starting experience and a lot of caddying work in their respective pasts.
Other options: Jeff Driskel, Hendon Hooker, Skylar Thompson, Brett Rypien, John Wolford
