Falcons Named Potential Suitor for Giants Pass Rusher

Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox suggested the Atlanta Falcons as a landing spot for a New York Giants edge rusher.

New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons are probably not going to land Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby in a trade. But that doesn't mean the Falcons won't have another opportunity to acquire pass rushing help before the NFL trade deadline.

On Wednesday, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox argued the Falcons are a potential suitor for New York Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari.

"The Atlanta Falcons should also be very interested in adding a pass-rusher before the deadline," Knox wrote. "While Atlanta traded for Matthew Judon at the end of the offseason, it has continued to struggle in the pass-rushing department. 

"The Falcons have recorded a league-low five sacks through six games."

The Falcons were one of two teams Knox named as a potential suitor for Ojulari. The other was the Detroit Lions, who lost Pro Bowl edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a serious injury in Week 6.

Both teams could use help at edge rusher for different reasons. While the Lions need an injury replacement, the Falcons need to jump start their pass rush in anyway possible.

Atlanta is currently on pace to finish last in sacks with fewer than 17. The Falcons are also second-to-last in hurray percentage and third-to-last in pressure rate.

The New York Giants selected Ojulari at No. 50 overall in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. The best campaign of his career through four years has been his rookie season when he had 8 sacks and 8 tackles for loss.

But Ojulari has played well this season. He has 3 sacks, 3 tackles for loss and 4 quarterback hits in six contests. At his current pace, he will be in the neighborhood of his rookie season's totals.

Ojulari is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. That could make him a relatively cheap commodity on the trade market.

Of course, that could change if he's in demand. Like the Falcons, the Lions are NFC contenders who need a boost along the edge.

If the Falcons traded for Ojulari, they'd be bringing home a Georgia product. The edge rusher went to Marietta High School and played college football at the University of Georgia.