The Falcons top priority this offseason must be improving the defense. They can do so through free agency and the draft; however, more than anything, the Falcons need internal development.
It’s far past time for Terry Fontenot’s defensive draft picks to start contributing. The best players on that side of the ball are Jessie Bates III and A.J. Terrell, a free agent signing and a draft pick from Thomas Dimitroff’s tenure. Fontenot’s draft picks need to step up; it’s the single biggest factor in Atlanta getting to where it wants to go.
2022 Falcons Draft Picks
Arnold Ebiketie, Troy Andersen, and DeAngelo Malone
Expecting Malone to be anything more than a special teams contributor is asking a lot, but we don’t neglect the third phase of the game here. NFL games are decided every single week by special teams. Malone, at the very least, needs to have an impact there. As for Ebiketie and Andersen, the Falcons desperately need the pair of second-round picks to emerge as high-quality starters.
Andersen has all the ability in the world except availability. He missed the vast majority of his second season in 2023 due to a pectoral injury, appearing in just two games, a trend that continued in 2024. In the best game of his career, which earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, Andersen injured his knee, limiting him for the rest of the season and eventually ending his 2024 campaign prematurely.
Andersen is a special athlete that can be an impact defender for the Falcons, but it’s impossible to know what he will provide in 2025. If he’s available for most of the year, the Falcons defense will be better for it. The position group doesn’t currently have a player with his skill set.
Ebiketie, on the other hand, probably shouldn’t be expected to ever shoulder the load of a pass rush, but expecting him to contribute 6-8 sacks consistently isn’t crazy. Finding that consistency is key.
In his first 11 games, Ebiketie only logged 24 tackles, one sack, three tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits. It was a supreme disappointment, but a switch flipped following the bye week. During that span, Ebiketie recorded five sacks, which ranked sixth best in the league, and three tackles for loss to go along with 14 tackles.
2023 Falcons Draft Picks
Zach Harrison, Clark Phillips, DeMarco Hellams
The 2023 draft class doesn’t have as high of expectations as the 2022 class because of where each defender was selected. The highest-drafted defender from the 2023 class was Zach Harrison, who was taken in the third round, but that doesn’t mean he and the others can’t contribute.
Hellams, a seventh-round pick, unseated Richie Grant as a starter in four of the Falcons final six games as a rookie. He was expected to contribute in 2024, but an ankle injury robbed him of the entire season. His 2025 outlook isn’t as clear as others, but the starting position next to Jessie Bates III is up for grabs. If he can fill that void, it would go a long way in helping the Falcons use their resources to improve other position groups.
Phillips started two games for the Falcons, but the surprise of the position group was Mike Hughes. Phillips tried his hand at nickel once upon a time, though it’s abundantly clear the Falcons cannot rely on Phillips in that role. Could he possibly replace Hughes’ production? I don’t know if that’s the area where I would pinch pennies. It’s a premium position, and Phillips is best served as a depth piece.
Out of the three, Zach Harrison has the most potential. He had to put on some weight to assume a new role, and while that might be different under Jeff Ulbrich, his power and length give him a high floor. At the very least, Harrison should be a positive presence as a rotational piece along the defensive line.
2024 Falcons Draft Picks
Ruke Orhorhoro, Bralen Trice, Brandon Dorlus, and JD Bertrand
The Falcons spent way too much draft capital on Ruke Orhorhoro, Bralen Trice, and Brandon Dorlus for the kind of production they got in 2025. Trice didn’t take a snap after suffering a season-ending injury before the year even began. Orhorhoro was a healthy scratch for half the year and ended the season on the IR, and Dorlus was pretty much a healthy scratch for the entire season.
If the Falcons are to improve their defense, most importantly the pass rush, they’ll need Trice and Orhorhoro to step up, but getting Dorlus in the rotation is critical as well. The Falcons cannot continue to miss on draft picks and expect to make the playoffs.
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