The Atlanta Falcons are heading into the 2026 NFL Draft without a first-round pick - and that absence is going to sting. It’s the result of last year’s draft-day deal that sent their No. 13 selection to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
At the time, the move was seen as aggressive, maybe even bold. But in the wake of Pearce’s recent arrest, the trade has taken on a much different tone - and not in a good way for Atlanta.
Now, that pick belongs to a Rams team that was already loaded and came within a game of the Super Bowl. And with veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein announcing his retirement earlier this week after 11 seasons, that pick just became even more valuable - and more painful for Falcons fans to watch from afar.
Havenstein’s Retirement Shifts Rams’ Draft Priorities
Havenstein’s retirement leaves a sizable hole on the right side of the Rams’ offensive line. He’s been a steady presence, a reliable bookend who helped anchor an offense that’s been among the league’s most efficient when healthy. And while his departure wasn’t entirely unexpected given his age and mileage, the timing of it - just months after acquiring a mid-first-round pick - couldn’t have been better for the Rams.
Enter Spencer Fano.
The Utah tackle is widely regarded as the top true right tackle in this year’s draft class. And with the Falcons’ former pick sitting at No. 13, the Rams are in prime position to land him.
That’s assuming he’s still on the board, of course. There’s a chance Fano gets scooped up earlier - offensive tackle is a premium position, and this year’s class is deep but top-heavy.
Names like Francis Mauigoa and Fano are expected to go early, but if Fano slips even a little, the Rams could be the beneficiaries.
If Fano is off the board, the Rams still have options. Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor and Utah’s Caleb Lomu are both intriguing prospects, though both played exclusively on the left side in college. That’s not a dealbreaker - plenty of linemen have made the switch at the next level - but it does make Fano the cleaner fit to slide in at right tackle from day one.
A Missed Opportunity for Atlanta
From the Falcons’ perspective, this is a tough pill to swallow. They’re not hurting for offensive line help - that unit’s actually been a relative strength - but they do have glaring needs elsewhere, particularly at wide receiver and in the run defense. That No. 13 pick could’ve gone a long way toward addressing one of those holes.
Instead, it’s now a potential plug-and-play solution for a Rams team that already has one of the league’s best left tackles in Alaric Jackson. Pairing Jackson with a prospect as polished and pro-ready as Fano would give Matthew Stafford - fresh off an MVP season and heading into his age-38 campaign - the kind of protection that could keep the Rams in the title hunt for another year.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about one pick or one trade. It’s about how teams build - or fail to build - around their core.
The Rams have consistently found ways to keep their roster competitive, even without a ton of high draft capital in recent years. Now, thanks to a well-timed deal and a sudden retirement, they’re in position to reload in a critical area.
For Atlanta, it’s a reminder that aggressive moves come with risk. The Pearce trade was a swing for the fences, and right now, it looks like a miss. And while new GM Ian Cunningham won’t be judged solely on a pick he didn’t make, his first draft at the helm will be missing a key piece - one that might’ve helped accelerate the rebuild.
The Rams, meanwhile, are looking at a chance to turn that pick into a foundational piece on the offensive line. If Fano ends up in Los Angeles, it won’t just be a win for the Rams - it’ll be a moment Falcons fans won’t forget anytime soon.