Falcons Biggest Offseason Needs: Pass Rush, Secondary Top List

Four areas on defense and two on offense mark the Atlanta Falcons' top areas of improvement in free agency and the 2025 NFL draft.

Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris has plenty of areas to upgrade this spring. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons enter the 2025 offseason with hopes of building a team capable of snapping a seven-year span without a winning season, let alone playoff appearance.

Atlanta has only five draft picks and is almost $12 million over salary, according to OverTheCap, which puts a wrinkle into the plans of head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.

Yet while the Falcons have limited resources, they also have a few clear needs that should take priority over others.

Pass Rush

An all-encompassing phrase but an all-encompassing need. The Falcons, be outside linebackers and defensive ends or defensive tackles, must elevate their pass rush after another year spent amongst the league's worst units.

Outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie enters his fourth NFL season off the back of a strong second half to the 2024 campaign, during which he led the team in sacks with six. But he's been a rollercoaster of highs and lows throughout his pro career, and Atlanta needs steadier play.

[Falcons Need Arnold Ebiketie to Turn Flashes into Consistency]

The Falcons have a pair of aging defensive tackles in 31-year-old Grady Jarrett and 32-year-old David Onyemata, and apart from inside linebacker Kaden Elliss, no other returner had more than two sacks.

Cornerback

Both starting outside cornerback Mike Hughes and nickel corner Dee Alford are free agents, as are reserve pieces Antonio Hamilton Sr. and Kevin King. Alford is a restricted free agent.

Atlanta has a cemented starter in A.J. Terrell and an ascending third-year pro in Clark Phillips III, who's been a fine rotational corner, but plenty of questions behind them.

The Falcons will likely transition from a zone-heavy secondary to one predicated more on man coverage under new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Whether Ulbrich wants the same corners the Falcons fielded last year remains to be seen, but regardless, Atlanta needs quality starters.

Safety

In a similar situation to corner, the Falcons return two-time All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III, but starter Justin Simmons and No. 3 safety Richie Grant are both unrestricted free agents.

DeMarcco Hellams, who would have been in contention with Grant for the top reserve safety role had he not suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the preseason, will be back for his third season.

But the Falcons need another starter at strong safety. Bates thrives in deep zones; adding a box-driven enforcer with coverage skills would do Atlanta's defense well.

Linebacker

Elliss enjoyed a standout season in the middle of Atlanta's defense, collecting 151 tackles, five sacks, eight tackles for loss and a team-best 16 quarterback hits.

But apart from Elliss, Atlanta's linebackers struggled. Troy Andersen has played in only nine of 34 games the past two seasons, while Nate Landman battled quad and calf injuries en route to a 13-game, nine-start season. Landman is also a restricted free agent.

Fifth-round rookie JD Bertrand ascended late, but the Falcons need another athletic, coverage-capable linebacker next to Elliss -- and that player may not currently be on the team's roster.

Center

Starter Drew Dalman is an unrestricted free agent, and he could be the top center available this spring. He will likely draw a sizable market, and while there appears to be mutual interest in a return, the Falcons are buying on a budget.

Dalman's backup, Ryan Neuzil, is a restricted free agent. Neuzil played well in eight starts this past season, but the Falcons may place a higher priority on keeping the middle of the pocket clean for quarterback Michael Penix Jr. entering his second professional season.

Tight End

Atlanta has a decision to make on Kyle Pitts, who will play 2025 on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. Pitts seems more likely than not to return, and block-first tight end Charlie Woerner is under contract through 2026.

Still, No. 3 tight end Ross Dwelley is an unrestricted free agent, and the only other tight end on the Falcons' roster is sixth-year pro Nikola Kalinic, who signed a reserve/futures contract after spending the last two seasons on the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad.

The Falcons have to add a tight end, be it a starter to replace Pitts in any potential trade, a long-term replacement if Pitts enters free agency after the 2025 season or a short-term No. 3 in place of Dwelley.

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