The Falcons are walking into 2026 with a roster that looks better on paper than the one they had a year ago. There’s more depth, the health picture is improved, and the coaching staff is stronger.
Even so, that doesn’t automatically solve everything. There are still a few spots on this team that should make Falcons fans uneasy before camp gets rolling.
The biggest alarm bell sits under center. Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Siemian and Jack Strand make up a quarterback room that will keep drawing attention, and not for the right reasons.
The concern starts with health. Kevin Stefanski is counting on two left-handed quarterbacks with a long injury history, and there’s real reason to wonder how quickly things could go sideways.
If the wrong breaks hit early, Trevor Siemian could end up in the spotlight before long. Even if one of those two stays upright, the uncertainty around Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa is hard to ignore.
They’ve both got the talent to be quality NFL quarterbacks, and if one of them grabs the job and runs with it, this team can still make the postseason. But that’s a big if.
Right tackle is another spot that suddenly looks shaky. Kaleb McGary’s retirement was a major blow because he had grown into a franchise-level player there.
The Falcons moved fast and brought in Jawaan Taylor, but that comes with baggage. His penalties were a recurring issue in Kansas City, and while the Chiefs could live with it because of their passing game, Atlanta may not have that same margin for error.
If the flags keep coming, the rushing attack could take a hit. The team also traded for Wanya Morris, but he’s viewed as a backup, not a real answer.
That leaves a serious question on the edge protecting the quarterbacks.
Then there’s linebacker, where the issue isn’t numbers so much as certainty. Losing Kaden Elliss changes the whole feel of the group because he was the piece holding it together, and now Jeff Ulbrich has to sort out who steps into that role.
Divine Deablo is the top name in the room, but after him the picture gets blurry fast. Christian Harris has been picking up momentum, yet his career has mostly been spent as a reserve.
If Troy Andersen can’t make it back, the Falcons may have to lean on rookies Harold Perkins Jr. and Kendal Daniels. Channing Tindall, JD Bertrand and Daveren Rayner are in the mix too, but this is still a position group with more questions than answers.
In Other News...
Falcons Camp Battle Could Elevate One Receiver Nobody Saw Coming
With training camp dates and locations now on the calendar, the Falcons are heading into the summer with a receiver room that looks much different than it did a few months ago. Darnell Mooney is gone, Drake London has been locked in on a four-year extension, and Atlanta has added fresh competition in Olamide Zaccheaus, Jahan Dotson and Zachariah Branch, along with three undrafted free agents who will get a real shot to show they belong.
One of the more interesting names in that mix is Vinny Anthony II, the undrafted rookie trying to carve out a roster spot in a crowded field. His path is not just about catching passes, either, because Atlanta could use help on special teams and Anthony brings kick return experience that gives him a different kind of value as camp opens, while the teams decision to put real money behind his signing suggests he is not just another body in the room. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Fans Just Got Another Risky Pass Rush Proposal
The Falcons have the cap room to chase help off the edge, and that alone has kept the door open to all kinds of speculation about how aggressive they might get before training camp. But the bigger question is whether Atlanta should spend real draft capital on a pass rusher whose production has been uneven and whose best seasons have not yet matched the hype that followed him into the league.
There is also the timing to consider, since any deal for a player in a contract year can quickly turn into a second decision about whether to hand out a major extension right away. For a team trying to balance urgency with patience, that makes a splashy move feel a lot riskier than a series of smaller additions, and the Falcons seem more likely to take the quieter route unless the right opportunity opens up. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookie Zachariah Branch Finally Addressed That Viral 26 MPH Clip
Zachariah Branch has spent much of his football life being defined by speed, and the Atlanta Falcons rookie wide receiver finally had a chance to speak directly about the viral treadmill clip that made the rounds long before he got to the league. The image of him flying on an overspeed treadmill became part of his public profile, but Branchs background already pointed that way, from his days as a high school track runner to the kind of burst that helped him post a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
For the Falcons, the bigger point is that the clip was never just a social media novelty. Branch has continued to train at eye-catching speeds as he prepares for camp, and Atlanta is planning to use him as both a receiver and a return man. In a league that never stops chasing speed, Branchs challenge now is turning the fascination around his wheels into a role that matters once the games start. [Read more 🡒]