Several Atlanta Falcons players have a chance to finish the 2025 season strong, which will carry ramifications fo both the team and those individual players entering the 2026 offseason. That creates a lot of intrigue for this Week 16 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Thus, I’m tasked with naming five, and only five, Falcons who are the most intriguing for Sunday’s action.
Kirk Cousins
First up is Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has made a name for himself beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during his
short stint as the Falcons’ starter the past two seasons. His numbers versus the Bucs are impressive, but range from ordinary to underwhelming against most of the remaining competition he’s seen as a Falcon.
Cousins still wants to be a full-time starter in the NFL in 2026, and that likely won’t come in Atlanta, given the presence of Michael Penix, even if the latter won’t be available for Week 1 next season. So Cousins has an opportunity to audition for other NFL teams and really needs to raise his profile by impressing against defenses that Todd Bowles doesn’t coordinate. He’ll get another chance this weekend in Arizona.
Kyle Pitts
Like Cousins, Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is also coming off a monster game against the Bucs under the bright lights. With another prolific tight end in Arizona’s Trey McBride also taking the field on Sunday, Pitts has another opportunity to increase his profile. McBride is one of the NFL’s highest-paid tight ends, averaging $19 million per year on a deal he signed earlier this year. Should Pitts prove to be the more productive tight end on the field in this battle, it could do wonders for his price tag as an impending free agent.
However, the biggest challenge to Pitts’ production won’t be coming from the Cardinals’ sideline, but his own. Wide receiver Drake London is expected back in the lineup, and the Pitts’ production with and without him in the lineup is stark. In the 9 games they’ve played together, Pitts averages four catches for 42 yards on six targets. Meanwhile, with London out of the lineup for five games, Pitts averages seven catches for 84 yards on nine targets. Pitts has also generated eight of his 12 explosive plays of 20-plus yards without London on the field.
While both players can clearly coexist in the offense, Pitts consistently gets the shorter end of the stick in terms of being a featured weapon. Should that continue as both players close out the season, that has to factor into the Falcons’ calculus if they are going to make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid tight ends after the season.
Chris Lindstrom
In contrast to Pitts, Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom’s financial future is secure since he is wrapping up the third year of a five-year contract extension he signed back in 2023. However, this Cardinals matchup is going to be an important one for him since he’ll be squaring off with a former teammate in Calais Campbell, who, despite his advanced age, is still a disruptive presence along the defensive line. He’s joined by 2025 first-round pick Walter Nolen, giving the Cardinals a formidable pair along the interior.
If the Falcons want to keep Cousins protected as well as get running back Bijan Robinson going in the ground game, Lindstrom is going to have to spearhead those efforts. According to PFF, he’s given up a career-high 35 pressures this year, tied for the second most among guards this season, and there are still three games to go. Injuries and right tackle Kaleb McGary’s absence have contributed to Lindstrom’s woes, issues that hopefully will get corrected in 2026. But a strong finish this season, starting with this Cardinals matchup, from the Falcons’ Pro Bowl guard is welcome.
James Pearce Jr.
Falcons rookie pass rusher James Pearce continues to rack up production as of late, recording a sack in six straight games. He has another opportunity to do so against Arizona, who will be without starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., meaning that both starting tackles for the Cardinals are backups, with right tackle Jonah Williams already down for the count. This makes for a golden opportunity for Pearce to do something that hasn’t been done this century, which is to be the first rookie pass rusher to tally a sack in seven straight games.
The last time it was done was by Jevon Kearse back in 1999, who ultimately had an eight-game sack streak. Should Pearce continue to worm his way into NFL record books, it’ll make the controversial decision to trade away a 2026 first-round pick for him a lot less contentious.
Cobee Bryant
Fellow 2025 rookie in cornerback Cobee Bryant also has an opportunity in this Cardinals game. He’ll have a chance for a rebound game after a rough night last week against the Bucs, now that starting cornerback Mike Hughes is out of the lineup. If he does, it’ll do a lot to bolster this 2025 rookie haul from general manager Terry Fontenot, which will play a role in the latter’s future with the franchise. But more importantly, a strong finish from Bryant could give the Falcons another option at the cornerback position heading into 2026.
The starting spot opposite cornerback A.J. Terrell has been a revolving door since he arrived in Atlanta back in 2020, and it should be a priority to upgrade this offseason. However, the Falcons’ resources are limited due to the Pearce trade. The team may be forced to use their top selection on a cornerback if they hope to find a starting option for Week 1 in 2026. But should Bryant perform well to close out the season in Hughes’ stead, it might give them a bit more flexibility with how they can utilize their limited resources.
Can you name any more Falcons that intrigue you heading into this Cardinals matchup?
