Six games into the 2026 NFL season, some roster needs are becoming clear for the Atlanta Falcons. Going into the regular season, defensive tackle and wide receiver were the biggest holes to address. However, the trade for Gervon Dexter and the surprise production of Jahan Dotson have dropped those two positions a good bit on the priority list.
Defensively the Falcons could definitely use more help at cornerback, where their depth has been exposed after taking a couple of injuries on the boundary. That being said, the biggest problem right now is protecting Michael Penix Jr., who opponents have taken to blitzing at a very high rate the last couple of games - and Penix has not responded well at all.
So, improving Atlanta's pass protection should
probably be considered No. 1 right now. It sounds like Chad Reuter at NFL.com agrees. He has listed offensive tackle as the team's top need for the 2027 NFL Draft.
"Falcons right tackle Jawaan Taylor is due to reach free agency this offseason, and the team must have a reliable blind-side blocker to protect left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr."
Taylor is not a bad stop-gap option after the retirement of Kaleb McGary. He's probably not a great long-term starter, though. Taylor has a run blocking grade of 52.9 so far, which ranks just 61 out of 74 qualifying tackles. Taylor has also been a penalty problem, an issue that's followed him his entire career.
We can safely assume that offensive tackle will be high - if not at the top - of Matt Ryan's list going into the draft. At the moment the Falcons are on pace to finish with the No. 12 overall pick. That will likely put them out of range for the consensus top-ranked tackle Trevor Goosby out of Texas, but every other offensive tackle should be in range, including Jordan Seaton from LSU and Trevor Lauck from Iowa.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: NFL analyst names Falcons' biggest need for 2027 NFL Draft
