The Falcons have spent the last five seasons building out a roster with real talent, and a lot of the heavy lifting has already been done on the contract side. Former general manager Terry Fontenot drafted several of the team’s core pieces, while current GM Ian Cunningham has continued to add to the group and also helped lock up long-term extensions for running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, guard Matthew Bergeron and defensive tackle Gervon Dexter.
That leaves a smaller, but still important, group of Falcons players who are set to hit free agency in 2027 once the season is over. At the top of that list are safety Jessie Bates III and linebacker Divine Deablo.
Bates has been one of Atlanta’s best defenders over the last three-plus seasons and is clearly in line for another deal. Deablo has dealt with injury issues, but his play at inside linebacker has still stood out.
There are also several other notable names on the board, including running back Brian Robinson Jr., defensive end Cameron Thomas and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Here’s how the Falcons’ 2027 free-agent list currently breaks down:
Offense: QB Tua Tagovailoa
RB Brian Robinson Jr.
TE Austin Hooper
TE Charlie Woerner
C Ryan Neuzil
OT Jawaan Taylor
OG Kyle Hinton
OT Storm Norton
C Corey Levin
Defense: S Jessie Bates III
S Sydney Brown
S DeMarcco Hellams
CB Mike Ford
CB C.J.
Henderson
LB Divine Deablo
LB Christian Harris
EDGE Samson Ebukam
DE Cameron Thomas
DL Da'Shawn Hand
DL LaCale London
DL Zach Harrison
LB DeAngelo Malone
The Falcons are also trying to get to 4-4 and move into first place in the NFC South when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8. That game kicks off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Falcons Win Put Dre Greenlaw Right Back In The NFL Spotlight
Dre Greenlaw found himself back in the NFL spotlight this week after the league handed down discipline tied to his latest on-field lapse. The 49ers linebacker had already served a one-game suspension for a headbutt involving Seattles Ernest Jones IV, and this time the league moved with a fine ahead of San Franciscos Week 8 game rather than another ban.
For Atlanta, the issue is less about the paperwork and more about what happened in the game itself. Greenlaws contact with Drake London came during the Falcons 29-20 win over San Francisco, a moment that fit into a physical afternoon and kept the focus on how quickly the league has had to revisit the linebackers conduct. The absence of a further suspension leaves the matter settled for now, even if it hardly closes the book on the attention Greenlaw continues to draw. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Rookie Faces Heartbreaking Reality Before His NFL Debut
Anterio Thompsons path to the NFL has taken a devastating turn before it ever had a chance to begin. The Falcons rookie defensive tackle, a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, had been on the non-football injury list since the start of training camp, and his status had already raised questions about when he might finally get on the field.
Those questions were answered in heartbreaking fashion when Thompson shared on social media that a genetic mutation affecting his spinal cord will keep him from playing football again. For Atlanta, it is a cruel end to a player the team had just added to its future, and for Thompson it closes the door on a professional debut that never arrived. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have A Tyler Allgeier Problem They Created
The Falcons running back picture got a lot murkier after they chose Brian Robinson Jr. over Tyler Allgeier and watched Allgeier head to Arizona on a new deal. Atlanta made its bet on Robinson as the more immediate fit, but the move also left the team thinner than it wanted to be behind its lead back, especially with Allgeier now out of the building and no easy replacement on hand.
Allgeier has not exactly forced the issue in Arizona, either, as his role has been reduced and his production has dipped. Still, with Robinson sidelined, the Falcons suddenly have to live with the consequences of their own roster decision, and that has naturally led to some speculation about whether they would revisit a familiar name if the injury situation drags on. No move has been made yet, but the possibility alone says plenty about how quickly the depth chart can shift. [Read more 🡒]