Despite the Falcons’ poor play in recent years, the team is looking better than ever, thanks to the large number of changes made this offseason. Atlanta finished third in the NFC South with a 7-10 record, which left many fans wondering about the team’s future moving forward. However, with the stellar offseason, the team is looking like real contenders.
One of the first offseason moves the team made was the firing of head coach, Arthur Smith. The former head coach’s time in Atlanta was nothing but underwhelming. Smith’s 2024 season with the Falcons was mainly known for his failure to utilize star players such as rookie running back Bijan Robinson and Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Pitts. This upset the fanbase as many wanted to see these young players shine in the offense. With concerns of poor offensive production and lack of winning, Arthur Smith was fired after just three seasons with the team.
To fill the vacant head coaching position, the Falcons brought in Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris. The new head coach is bringing in years of experience on both sides of the ball, including being the Falcons’ interim head coach in 2020. Morris also brought his partner-in-crime, former Rams offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, to Atlanta. Robinson’s offense finished seventh in the league in total offensive yards compared to the Falcons’ ranking of 17th. This coaching duo has brought a lot of hope to fans, which was heavily needed.
The Falcons’ defensive line was one of the top units last season, and it is expected to be even stronger this year. Despite losing veteran defensive tackle, Calais Campbell, Atlanta recovered the loss by drafting three defensive linemen in this year’s draft. One of which is Ruke Orhorhoro, who was ranked as the best defensive tackle prospect in the 2024 draft, per NFL Draft Buzz. With pairing up the rookie with certified starters such as Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata, this defensive trio is destined to be one of the highlights of the team.
Another move the team made to help the pass-rush was the trade of edge rusher, Matthew Judon. The veteran has plenty of experience, having four pro-bowls under his belt. Judon spent the last three seasons with the Patriots, where he recorded 32 sacks in just 33 starts. When asked about his opinions on the environment of his new home, Judon had some adequate words.
“I didn’t know it until I got in the building, but you see the culture,” Judon said. “You see how Rah (Raheem Morris) interacts with the players, and how the players interact with each other. … You see that the locker room is stable.”
The Falcons’ defensive rebuild was not done yet. After acquiring Matt Judon, the team turned their attention to signing pro-bowl safety, Justin Simmons. Another veteran presence, Simmons’ eight-year tenure with the Denver Broncos was filled with great plays but little to no winning. The safety never made the playoffs during his time in Denver. So, with the Falcons being potential contenders this season, Simmons was quick to sign when given the opportunity, siting that the Matthew Judon trade a huge factor in signing.
“I pretty much called my agent [Todd France] and said, ‘We gotta get this done,’” Simmons said after hearing about the Judon trade.
In addition to signing Justin Simmons, the Falcons locked up their best cornerback for the next four seasons, A.J Terrell. The 24-year-old was the Falcons’ first-round pick in 2020. The young man has been a vocal point in the secondary since 2021. Although only being a second team All-pro in 2021, Terrell is considered one of the league’s best. Atlanta just gave Terrell a four-year extension, worth 81-million dollars. This deal makes Terrell the second highest-paid cornerback in league history, which gives fans confidence knowing that the team’s best defender is there to stay for quite a while.
The team made substantial moves on the other side of the ball as well. Atlanta’s roster was lacking in crucial roles offensively last season, the biggest being the quarterback position. Second year quarterback, Desmond Ridder, was the team’s main starter throughout the year and did little to help the team win. Ridder was expected to perform well in his second season; however, this was not the case. With terrible statistics and little to no flashes of high production, the team traded away the young quarterback after just two seasons.
In the trade, the Falcons acquired pass catcher, Rondale Moore. The twenty-four-year-old receiver was rumored to be a huge part of the offense. However, due to a season-ending injury, Moore will miss the entire 2024 season. Nonetheless, the Falcons will have the option of resigning Moore next spring as he has the potential to be a good addition in the receiving core when healthy.
Poor play was one of the reasons that Ridder was traded, another reason for the trade was who the Falcons signed earlier that offseason. On the first day of free agency, the Falcons were quick to sign pro-bowl quarterback, Kirk Cousins, on a four-year deal. The Falcons haven’t had a certified starter since the team moved on from Matt Ryan. So, this signing was a great relief to fans as Cousins have been a consistent starter throughout his career.
The Falcons buffed up the quarterback room even more as the team selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick of the 2024 draft. Although tearing his ACL in his final year at Washington, Penix has the upside to learn under Cousins and become a starting quarterback in the future.
Atlanta doesn’t have to just look at the team’s offseason moves as the team already had some playmakers on offense. Youngs stars such as Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson all have the upside to break out this season with Cousins under center. Out of these players, second year running back, Bijan Robinson, is the more likely to break out as the young man is playing around of the best offensive lines in the league. Head coach, Raheem Morris knows that Robinson is the team’s vocal point offensively.
“Get the ball to Bijan as much as you can, in as many ideal situations as you possibly can,” Morris said. “For him, he’s so talented, you don’t want to limit the things he can do. But you also don’t want to water it down so much that he’s not doing anything he can do great.