The Atlanta Falcons are sitting at 3-5, and one reason is a lack of depth and an overabundance of injuries. To fans’ dismay, Terry Fontenot did not make a deal at the trade deadline—why?
Limited future assets
The Falcons are already entering the 2026 draft without their 1st or 5th-round draft picks. Would throwing away another pick be in the best interest of the team in the long run? The team didn’t seem to think so, and I didn’t either —what does that say about internal expectations for this season? Is this a head coach
and general manager with a win-now, make-the-playoffs-at-all-costs mandate? If so, they aren’t operating like it; either that, or ownership isn’t letting the poor-performing staff rob from the future anymore.
Keep in mind the Falcons already sent off a conditional 2027 7th-round pick before the season officially started to acquire Michael Jerrell. Since Jerrell made the 53 and has taken the field this season, the condition has likely been met, but we won’t know for sure until later. The Falcons were able to sign multiple tackles to their practice squad the same week they traded for Jerrell, and they offer a similar level of play. Atlanta has entered the NFL draft short on picks almost every year under Fontenot, and this approach has exacerbated their inability to build depth.
Limited options
When I discussed the wide receiver options on the market last month, I noted the lack of realistic options for the Falcons. Most options would be half-season rentals, and only a couple would offer what the Falcons actually needed. The most realistic option, Jakobi Meyers, was traded to the Jaguars for a 4th and a 6th, making him not so realistic after all.
Many fans felt that a move for a linebacker would be justified, but the only recognizable name on the market was Logan Wilson. The Cowboys traded a 7th for Wilson, who has struggled to get playing time on one of the worst defenses in the league, and was in a linebacker room that is arguably worse than Atlanta’s current one. Wilson also doesn’t fit the mold of a typical Ulbrich linebacker; this would’ve been a move for the sake of making a move. Playing behind Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark could make this an excellent move for Dallas, but interior players of that caliber aren’t on the Falcons.
That leaves the battered offensive line, and while the Falcons didn’t make a trade, they did add a player that would’ve been just as impactful as any late-Day 3 value deal in Andrew Stueber. Stueber has experience at both guard and tackle and is likely here to replace Storm Norton, who appears to be headed for season-ending IR.
Why not sell?
I did not expect the Falcons to be buyers, but I was prepared for them to move a player or even two. Those trades obviously didn’t materialize, and there could be several reasons why. Injuries spoiled the team’s opportunity to move Arnold Ebiketie, who had been heavily rumored to be on the market over the past few weeks. Leonard Floyd’s recent hamstring injury likely spooked the team from wanting to get rid of depth in one of the few places they have it.
Other players that aren’t under contract next year, like Kyle Pitts and Tyler Allgeier, are too important to an offense that is already flailing. Charlie Woerner has regressed and doesn’t provide anything as a receiver, and the team hasn’t used Teagan Quitoriano or Felipe Franks at tight end outside of a handful of blocking reps. If anything happened to Bijan and Allgeier were no longer here, then this unit would really be dead in the water.
Kirk Cousins had his audition for the market and didn’t deliver an inspiring performance. The Falcons were likely more than willing to part ways with the quarterback, but at the end of the day, no one wanted him badly enough, if at all. It’s hard to blame other teams; Cousins looks over the hill.
Unfortunately, the underperforming receiving room and offense in general have made it hard to rationalize getting rid of the most attractive trade options. The team is going to have to win with what they have, and they were adamant when the season started that that was all they needed.
The best time to upgrade a roster is in the offseason, and the Falcons missed the mark in some areas that are now hurting them. With the release of Ta’Quon Graham, the Falcons have now cut two veteran DTs they prioritized in the offseason (Morgan Fox was the other, who left the team with 2.25M in dead cap). That money could’ve gone to LB depth or another area of need.
The team wasn’t able to strike a deal as a buyer or seller, which means there’s even more pressure on this staff to perform, and added pressure was the last thing they needed. Will the return of Zach Harrison and others be enough, or will the losing streak continue?
