Ian Cunningham is stepping into his first general manager role with the Atlanta Falcons, and let’s just say-he’s not exactly easing into the job. After edging out James Liipfert for the position, Cunningham now joins forces with another first-timer in the front office, former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Together, they’re tasked with turning a talented but underachieving roster into a playoff-caliber team.
And make no mistake, the clock is ticking. Atlanta is staring down an eight-year playoff drought, and with no first-round pick in hand, Cunningham's margin for error is razor-thin. Most of new head coach Kevin Stefanski’s staff is already locked in, so the next big item on Cunningham’s to-do list is reshaping the roster-and fast.
One name that could be on his radar? Andrew Billings. He’s not going to set Twitter on fire or dominate headlines, but when it comes to fixing the Falcons’ run defense, he might be exactly what they need.
Let’s talk about that run defense for a second. While Atlanta’s pass defense held its own, their performance against the run was a different story-24th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game.
And it wasn’t just the numbers. Watch the tape against elite backs like Jonathan Taylor and Christian McCaffrey, and it’s clear: the Falcons had no answers.
With veteran David Onyemata likely on his way out, the Falcons need a reliable presence in the middle to anchor the defensive line. Young talents like Brandon Dorlus and Ruke Orhorhoro are developing, but they could use a seasoned nose tackle to help stabilize things. That’s where Billings comes in.
At 340 pounds, Billings brings size and experience. He’s not coming off his best season-his 38.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 131st out of 134 qualified defensive tackles, and his 39.0 run defense grade wasn’t much better-but context matters. He was more effective in 2023 and 2024, and his skill set might be a better fit in Jeff Ulbrich’s system than it was under Dennis Allen in Chicago.
Cunningham knows Billings well. He signed him during his time with the Bears, and that familiarity could help smooth the transition.
But the connection doesn’t stop there-Billings also spent two seasons under Stefanski in Cleveland. He opted out of one of those years due to COVID-19, but there’s still some institutional knowledge there that could help him hit the ground running in Atlanta.
The best part? He won’t break the bank.
At 30 years old and coming off a down year, Billings would be a low-risk addition with the potential for solid upside. He’s not a long-term solution, but he could be the kind of plug-and-play piece that allows the Falcons’ younger linemen to grow without being thrown into the fire.
Cunningham doesn’t need to swing for the fences with his first move. Sometimes, it’s the smart singles that keep the chains moving-and bringing in a run-stuffing veteran like Billings could be just that.