The Atlanta Falcons delivered the biggest surprise of the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. While there weren’t any NFL rumors at the time suggesting Atlanta would use a first-round pick on its new face of the franchise, there is early buzz regarding the team’s plans in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Atlanta won’t have much cap space to work with in NFL free agency this offseason, entering March $5.3 million over the salary cap. Even with a few cap casualties and contract restructures, the Falcons won’t be in a position where they can address some glaring needs with top free-agent talent.
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It leaves the 2025 NFL Draft as the only viable avenue to make significant upgrades to the Falcons roster. Complicating things further, Atlanta is also dealing with ramifications from its actions last offseason. The NFL found that the team illegally tampered with Kirk Cousins, resulting in the club being docked a fifth-round pick. It could have some influence on how the team operates in Round 1.
According to ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano, the Falcons have “some interest” in trading the 15th overall pick in the first round. It’s all tied into the club’s preliminary strategy in the early rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Graziano reports that Atlanta intends to use “most, if not all” of its early-round picks on defensive players. This is all to overhaul a Falcons defense that ranked 20th in EPA per Play (0.042) and entered the offseason 21st in the NFL defense rankings.
As it stands, Atlanta only has two selections in the first 100 picks with three in the top 240 picks. With needs all across the board defensively, the Falcons could trade down with a team like the Green Bay Packers (23rd, 54th, 87th, 123rd, 160th overall picks) or the Baltimore Ravens (27th, 59th, 91st, 128th, 136th, 171st, 175th and 179th overall picks). It would still allow the team to snag an edge rusher or defensive back at the end of Round 1, while potentially adding another starter along with rotational depth on Day 2.
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