The Falcons may be ushering in a new era under general manager Ian Cunningham, but they’re not starting from scratch - not even close. Former GM Terry Fontenot left behind a roster with real promise, highlighted by a 2025 draft class that already looks like a franchise-altering haul. Four rookies - Jalon Walker, Billy Bowman, James Pearce Jr., and Xavier Watts - stepped in and made an immediate impact, with Pearce and Watts in particular flashing the kind of upside that screams future All-Pro.
So, while Atlanta isn’t a finished product, the bones are there. This is a team with enough young talent to compete right now.
The challenge for Cunningham isn’t about building from the ground up - it’s about taking that next leap, from competitive to contending. And that means threading the needle between short-term moves and long-term sustainability.
“Draft, develop, and retain,” Cunningham said during his introductory press conference - a simple mantra, but one that’s easier said than done when you’re starting off with limited draft capital.
The Falcons head into this offseason without a first-round pick and just five total selections - only three of which come in the first five rounds. That’s not an ideal starting point, but it’s not unfamiliar territory for Cunningham.
When he and Ryan Poles took over in Chicago, they faced a similar draft deficit - no first- or fourth-rounders thanks to the Justin Fields trade. Even so, they managed to come away with 11 players in that draft class, largely by working the trade board and finding value in volume.
The difference this time? Atlanta’s big swing - the one that cost them their first-rounder - landed James Pearce Jr., a game-wrecker off the edge who’s already proving to be a difference-maker. That’s a trade you make every time.
Still, Cunningham has to find ways to restock the draft cupboard. One option?
Follow the Bears’ old playbook and deal a veteran for picks. Back in Chicago, they flipped Khalil Mack to the Chargers for a second-rounder - a tough move, but one that helped accelerate their rebuild.
Atlanta has a few veterans who could draw interest, and one name that stands out is All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III.
Bates has been everything the Falcons hoped for when they signed him three years ago - a leader on and off the field, and a two-time All-Pro who’s anchored the secondary. But he’s approaching 30 and plays a position that, while important, isn’t typically prioritized in roster-building hierarchies.
That doesn’t mean Atlanta should move him - far from it - but it’s the kind of decision that front offices have to wrestle with. In this league, timing is everything, and sometimes being a year early is better than being a year late.
Even if the Falcons don’t make a blockbuster move, Cunningham can still get creative. Back in 2022, the Bears turned three Day 3 picks into eight by trading back and playing the board. That kind of maneuvering could be Atlanta’s best bet to add depth and flexibility without sacrificing top-end talent.
Bottom line: the Falcons aren’t in rebuild mode. They’ve got young stars, a foundation worth building on, and now a GM who’s been through this kind of challenge before.
The margin for error is slim, but the path forward is clear. It’s time to get to work.