Atlanta Falcons Depth Chart
- NFC South
- Stadium
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Head Coach
- Raheem Morris
- Offensive Coordinator
- Zac Robinson
- Defensive Coordinator
- Jimmy Lake
- Special Teams Coach
- Marquice Williams
- Defensive Scheme
- 3-4
The Atlanta Falcons secured quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason on a four-year, $180 million deal, setting them up to have above-average quarterback play for the first time since Matt Ryan parted ways with the organization. However, the team is not done adding to the quarterback room. "We're definitely gonna add a quarterback," Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said. "We're not going to into the season with two arms." The team has Cousins and Taylor Heinicke on the roster, but most teams carry between three and five quarterbacks in the offseason. It's unlikely that Atlanta will consider a first-round quarterback in this year's class, but they could begin to take fliers on signal-callers as soon as Round 2 begins. Cousins will turn 36 years old before the start of the 2024 season, so throwing a dart on players like Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix would make sense if they fall to the second round. On Day 3 of the draft, Spencer Rattler, Michael Pratt, and Joe Milton III are potential project options to consider. Although any quarterback Atlanta adds can be safely ignored in single-quarterback formats, they might be worth rostering in deep superflex and two-QB setups considering Cousins' age and the major Achilles injury he is coming off of.
University of Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey is visiting with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He also recently met with the Cleveland Browns. McConkey didn't have the most prolific college career, but he posted 119 receptions for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns in 39 career games. He's also a dynamic weapon in the backfield, compiling 216 yards and four touchdowns on just 13 rushing attempts. After running a sub-4.4 forty-yard dash at the 2024 NFL Combine, he could be selected as early as the late first round. Atlanta could use more speed in the new-look Kirk Cousins offense, so it will be interesting to see if they make a move to keep McConkey in the state of Georgia to begin his NFL career.
Free-agent pass-rusher James Smith-Williams agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, according to his agent, Mike McCartney. The 26-year-old defensive end entered the league as a seventh-round pick (229th overall) by the Washington Commanders in 2020 out of North Carolina State and spent the first four years of his NFL career in D.C., racking up just 85 tackles (42 solo), seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 31 QB hits in 55 games played (27 starts). He had only 22 tackles (11 solo), one sack and eight QB hits for Washington in 13 games (seven starts) in 2023 and will provide interior defensive-line depth for the Falcons in 2024 behind the likes of Grady Jarrett, Ta'Quon Graham and Zach Harrison.
The Atlanta Falcons signed free-agent cornerback Kevin King to an undisclosed deal on Monday. King was originally a second-round selection (33rd overall) by the Green Bay Packers in the 2017 NFL draft out of Washington. He played all five of his NFL seasons with the Packers and has recorded a total of 197 tackles (158 solo), one sack, five tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 30 passes defended, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 51 games played (42 starts). King took the entire 2022 season off due to personal reasons and missed all of 2023 due to a torn Achilles that he suffered during an offseason workout. The 28-year-old will simply be looking to stay healthy in training camp this summer in order to win a 53-man roster spot and supply secondary depth for the Falcons.
Free-agent defensive end Calais Campbell remains unsigned. Although the 2008 No. 50 overall pick hasn't said if he'd return for another season, it appears the Falcons are interested in bringing him back. He played in Atlanta during the 2023-24 campaign, and despite his advanced age, he appeared in all 17 games. Campbell totaled 56 tackles and 6.5 sacks, his most since his final season in Jacksonville in 2019. With that in mind, it's logical to assume serious talks between both sides may not happen until after the NFL Draft. But if the 37-year-old doesn't return to Atlanta, there should be at least a handful of teams interested in acquiring his services, especially if it's at a discounted price.