Atlanta’s going to head into free agency with a little pocket money to work with and several pressing needs. They’ll also want to acquire talent that Kevin Stefanski believes he can win with.
While most of those faces will be fairly new, in all likelihood, a couple of players who have crossed paths with Stefanski and that he’s both comfortable and familiar with will end up in Atlanta. Let’s take a quick look at some of the players he’s worked with who will be available and might make sense, plus one
option I’d prefer the team didn’t take on but should be considered realistic nonetheless. I’m focusing on offense, where Stefanski focuses himself, and on special teams, where coordinator Bubba Ventrone is rumored to be following Stefanski from Cleveland.
Don’t come in here expecting to be excited, but the hope is that the players the Falcons add will be useful.
QB Joe Flacco
One suspects that Stefanski did not want to see Flacco traded away, even with his struggles, as he was a familiar and reliable option at quarterback who has a wealth of knowledge from nearly two decades in the league. Flacco’s still-strong arm and willingness to sling it would make him a fun fit for a Falcons offense with Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and (hopefully) Kyle Pitts, and the fact that he’s heading into his age-41 season and has handled both starting and backup duties in recent years means he’d be a solid bridge to when Michael Penix Jr. is ready and solid insurance should Penix falter or not return as quickly as anticipated.
Also, Flacco playing for a team Matt Ryan is running would be kind of surreal, given that both were drafted in 2008 and we’re in the year 2026.
RB Jerome Ford
A very easy connection to make. Ford has spent his entire career to this point playing for Stefanski, and while he’s been eclipsed multiple times by other options, he’s solid in pass protection and has been a productive runner when given opportunities, piling up 800 yards as a near-featured back in 2023 an averaging 5.4 yards per carry in 2024. As affordable, familiar insurance for Bijan Robinson with Tyler Allgeier likely to exit the building, Ford makes a lot of sense for Atlanta.
WR Elijah Moore
Moore’s two most productive seasons came as a receiver with Cleveland, with 59 catches and 640 yards with a pair of touchdowns in 2024. He spent last season with the Bills and Broncos and had a quiet year, and he’s not a player who has shown himself to be a top-flight receiving option regardless. But as a reserve with upside in a familiar offense, Moore could be a solid, affordable WR4.
WR DeAndre Carter
The small, quick receiver is basically a non-factor on offense these days but still plays an active role on special teams as a returner. The Falcons are almost certainly going to be shopping for a return option again in 2026, and if special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone follows Stefanski to Atlanta, he’s about the most affordable one you can imagine.
The only problem? Carter was the team’s chosen returner to start the season but missed most of the year with a knee injury, so there’s an open question of his health and effectiveness going into 2026 that will have to be answered.
TE David Njoku
This is a “we didn’t get Kyle Pitts” signing, but a damn good one. Injuries have taken a bite out of Njoku’s last two seasons and he’s never quite lived up to his billing, but he flourished for stretches under Stefanski in Cleveland and has proven to be a tremendous short-to-intermediate option who can pick up yards after the catch; in 2023 he had the 20th highest average YAC in the NFL. If the Falcons do whiff on Pitts, Njoku can pick up at least a heavy dose of the receiving production they’ll lose and give the Falcons’ quarterback room a reliable, bulldozing option for screens and quick passes.
C/G Ethan Pocic
If Atlanta wants to supplant Ryan Neuzil with a new staff on the way, Pocic is a familiar face for Stefanski and likely incoming offensive line coach Bill Callahan. A full-time starter at the position under Callahan in 2022 and 2023 and for the past four years under Stefanski, Pocic has been pretty good throughout his tenure with Cleveland and would offer stability and familiarity for Atlanta while kicking Neuzil to the reserve swing interior lineman role he played prior to 2025 if he signs. The only issue is that he’s not likely to be super cheap, and the Falcons are not likely to have a ton of spending money.
P Corey Bojorquez
If the Falcons import Ventrone rom Cleveland, he may want to bring his punter with him, but I hope he doesn’t. Bojorquez was one of the least inspiring options in the league last year, as he was tied for the league lead in punts blocked, 33rd in the NFL in percentage of punts inside the 20, and 32nd in net yards per punt. Keep his name in mind, but I hope the Falcons simply bring back Bradley Pinion, who is also a free agent as well.
Any obvious names I’m missing?
