Here we are once again begging the Falcons to add to the pass rush. Over the last week or so, Atlanta has lost three key pieces, two of which were primed to play prominent roles on the defensive side of the ball.
Before the Falcons even played the Dolphins on Friday night, Rondale Moore suffered a non-contact injury that ended his 2024 campaign. Early in the game, Hellams went down with a lower leg injury and is expected to miss significant time, but the loss that stings the most is Bralen Trice.
The third-round pick was expected to play a big role on the Falcons defense, but he will miss his entire rookie campaign with a knee injury. Trice wasn’t going to make or break Atlanta’s pass rush; however, Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris were relying quite a bit on him.
With an average pass rush last year (before the Grady Jarrett injury), the Falcons essentially replaced Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree with rookies in Bralen Trice, Brandon Dorlus, and Ruke Orhorhoro.
Despite Orhorhoro being the highest-drafted of the trio, it was Trice who was expected to be the most significant contributor out of the bunch. Now, what will the Falcons do? Stick with the status quo once again? I sure hope not; here are a few free agents that Terry Fontenot might see fit as a replacement.
Yannick Ngakoue
The 29-year-old pass rusher has 69 career sacks, including 33.5 in the last three seasons, yet he remains unsigned. He was with the Jaguars in 2019, the Ravens and Vikings in 2020, the Raiders in 2021, the Colts in 2022, and the Bears in 2023. Though he has his shortcomings, you can’t tell me he wouldn’t be an improvement over what the Falcons currently have on the roster.
Carl Lawson
Carl Lawson was once seen as a premier edge rusher, but injuries have hampered his career. The 29-year-old only appeared in 101 snaps for the Jets last season as he dealt with a back injury. Before that, Lawson had to recover from an Achilles injury. His last productive year came in 2022 when he put up seven sacks.
Tyus Bowser
Bowser, similarly to Lawson, was once seen as a promising star pass rusher but injuries have also plagued him. Two years ago, he recorded eight sacks in a rotational role for the Ravens. Then, Bowser tore his Achilles in 2023, but he is healthy and looking for a place to improve his value. A one-year deal seems appropriate.
Justin Simmons
No, Justin Simmons isn’t a pass rusher, but it takes two to tango. A successful pass rush has pressure and coverage, and the Falcons could use a safety with DeMarcco Hellams expected to miss significant time. Hell, even before Hellams’ injury, the Falcons could’ve used Justin Simmons.
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Photographer: Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire
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