The Atlanta Falcons have plenty to like on paper as training camp approaches and the 2026 NFL season draws closer. They were close to taking the NFC South in 2025, and if they can get even average quarterback play from someone in the room, a division title is there for the taking.
There’s a lot to build around. Atlanta’s offense has a top-10 offensive line and a strong group of weapons, while the pass rush finished just behind the Denver Broncos last year. If those pieces click, this has the look of a double-digit-win team.
New head coach Kevin Stefanski is a two-time Coach of the Year, so the Falcons aren’t exactly short on credibility either. But one of their later free agency additions comes with a warning that can’t be brushed aside.
That’s new right tackle Jawaan Taylor, whose penalty history is impossible to ignore.
According to PFF’s list of the most penalized players in the NFL since the 2021 season, Taylor sits at No. 1 with 74 penalties.
“Taylor coming in at No. 1 on this list isn’t really a shocker. His tenure in Kansas City was well-documented - and often included yellow markers.
Over three years with the Chiefs and two with the Jaguars prior, Taylor racked up a league-leading 74 penalties, the most by a wide margin. He was especially a flag magnet protecting Patrick Mahomes, with 56 of those calls coming from 2023-25 alone.
A key problem for Taylor has been illegal formation assessments, with his 10 in this span the second-most to only Braden Smith. Beyond that, Taylor was penalized for a league-high 35 holds.
After signing with the Falcons this offseason, Taylor is now expected to start at right tackle to replace the retiring Kaleb McGary. Intriguingly, his acquisition creates a dichotomy between the NFL’s most-flagged player and a team that’s incurred among the fewest penalties.” -- Bradley Locker
Taylor’s 2025 season was rough as well. PFF gave him a 53.3 grade, which ranked 80th among 89 qualified tackles.
He was charged with 13 penalties and three sacks allowed. Pro Football Reference’s numbers show 78 penalties across his seven-year career, with only the 2020 and 2022 seasons not reaching double digits.
Still, there’s a reason Atlanta made the move. Taylor was durable early in his career, starting every game for his first five seasons. He missed just one start in 2024 before making only 12 starts in 2025.
And the Falcons’ situation at right tackle did shift quickly when Kaleb McGary retired. Even with Taylor’s issues, there are plenty of teams with worse answers at the position than Atlanta has now.
The problem is that penalties wreck drives, and that matters even more if the quarterback play around him isn’t strong. No matter who wins the job, Atlanta can’t afford to have big gains or first downs wiped out because Taylor can’t stay clean.
The good news is that he’ll be playing on the best offensive line of his career, and maybe on the most talented offense he’s ever been part of. A change of scenery, different coaching, and a sturdy line around him could help him settle in and play cleaner football.
But the numbers are the numbers. Taylor has averaged more than 10 penalties per season, and if that doesn’t change, the Falcons offense is going to leave a lot on the field in 2026.
In Other News...
One Falcons Rookie Receiver Is Already Losing Ground In Camp
The Falcons have spent the offseason adding bodies to the receiver room, including undrafted free agents Vinny Anthony II, Keelan Marion and Le'Meke Brockington, as they sort through a group that will be defined as much by special teams value as by what happens on offense. Brockington arrived with modest college production and a reputation built more on strength and blocking than explosive traits, which made him an interesting depth addition but not necessarily a player who would stand out early in camp.
So far, he has not done much to change that impression during offseason work, and his path gets narrower if he cannot offer something beyond the basics at receiver. Atlanta has not used him as a return option, which only adds to the challenge for a rookie trying to separate himself in a crowded competition and make himself more than just another name in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have A Bigger Michael Penix Jr. Problem Than Expected
The 2024 quarterback class has already made life harder for Atlantas evaluation of Michael Penix Jr., because several of the first-round passers taken around him have looked comfortable early in their careers. Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix and Caleb Williams have all given their teams reasons to feel good, while Penix has had a far rockier start as the Falcons wait for a clearer answer on what they have at the most important position.
Penixs issues have not been limited to the box score, either. The limited starts, the injury history and a completion rate under 60 percent have left Atlanta with more uncertainty than it expected when it invested a premium pick in him, and the questions are only getting louder as training camp nears. Even the longer-term picture is starting to come into focus, with the Falcons already facing a decision later on that could say plenty about how much confidence they still have in him. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Suddenly Have A Major Problem Falcons Fans Will Love
A contract standoff in Tampa has suddenly put one of the Buccaneers most important interior defenders in an awkward spot, and that is the kind of development the Falcons will keep an eye on. Vita Vea is entering the final year of his deal, and after extension talks stalled, the veteran defensive tackle has put his absence from mandatory minicamp on the record as part of a wider dispute over his next contract.
The money is clearly at the center of it, with Vea reportedly looking for a new deal worth more than $20 million per year. If the situation drags into training camp, Tampa Bay could be dealing with a disruptive holdout from a player who anchors the middle of its defense, and that is the sort of problem Atlanta would love to see linger as the division race takes shape. [Read more 🡒]