The Atlanta Falcons have already been forced to patch together their edge rush plan, and the list of available free agents still offers one name that should look awfully familiar.
With Jalon Walker out for the season and James Pearce expected to miss the first eight games, Atlanta was pushed into action on the outside. Matt Ryan managed to bring in Za'Darius Smith out of retirement, a move that should keep the rotation from sinking into the bottom tier of the league’s pass rush units. But Smith is not being asked to carry the whole load, and the Falcons could still use another rusher to help through the opening stretch of the year.
That’s where Leonard Floyd comes in. Daniel Popper of The Athletic listed Floyd among the strongest remaining free agent options, and the case is straightforward: he can still get after the quarterback.
"Floyd had 36 pressures in 2025 while playing for the Atlanta Falcons, according to TruMedia. His 13 percent pressure rate ranked in the top 50 among players with at least 200 pass rush snaps. He is still a pretty explosive rusher and could fit as a third edge for a team in need of some depth."
The traditional numbers from last season don’t jump off the page, but Floyd was on the field for only 49% of Atlanta’s defensive snaps. Even in a reduced role, he still showed enough disruption to matter. Over more than 150 career games, he has remained a useful pass rusher and a steady run defender, earning a 60.0 grade against the run from Pro Football Focus last season.
A reunion would also make plenty of sense on the schematic side. Floyd already knows defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s system, which would help him settle in quickly. And if Atlanta brought him back, it would ease the burden on Samson Ebukam and the rest of the edge group, players who were expected to be depth pieces this season.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Got Dragged Into A Quarterback Trade Debate
A fresh quarterback trade idea has pulled the Falcons into a conversation they did not ask to join. Bleacher Reports Kristopher Knox floated a speculative three-team concept that would send Tua Tagovailoa to the Browns, while Atlanta would be the club giving up Dillon Gabriel and a conditional 2027 first-round pick as part of the broader framework. It is purely an exercise at this point, but it underscores how much leaguewide quarterback chatter is still tied to Atlantas future draft capital.
From the Falcons perspective, the appeal and the risk are both obvious. Any move involving a premium pick invites immediate scrutiny, especially when it is attached to a quarterback debate that already has several layers to it. For now, though, there has been no official move and no confirmation that Atlanta is actually pursuing anything close to this scenario, leaving the whole idea as one more reminder of how quickly the Falcons can get pulled into trade speculation around the position. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Let A Familiar Receiver Slip To A Division Rival
Cedric Tillmans latest move gave the Falcons a small but noticeable miss in a division race that can turn on the margins. After being released by Cleveland, the veteran receiver landed on the Saints practice squad rather than making his way to Atlanta, even with the added familiarity of having been coached by Kevin Stefanski. The Falcons chose to keep their current group intact after the cut deadline, leaving Tillman to find his next stop elsewhere.
For New Orleans, the fit is obvious enough on paper. The Saints had a clear need at wide receiver and now have a player who can be elevated to the active roster if the opportunity opens. For Atlanta, it is another reminder that roster churn does not stop at the waiver wire, especially when a division opponent is willing to move quickly and offer a clearer path to playing time. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Defense Gets A Needed Boost At The Perfect Time
Da'Shawn Hand was back at practice with the Falcons after missing most of training camp because of a leg injury, giving Atlanta a welcome reinforcement on a defense that has been managing plenty of uncertainty. He had been listed as questionable for Week 1, and even getting him back on the field mattered for a team trying to stabilize a defensive front that needs experienced help.
Hands return gives the Falcons a better chance of having a veteran defensive lineman available when they need one most. With injuries and suspensions already thinning the group, his presence could matter in the areas Atlanta cares about most up front, especially when it comes to depth and holding up against the run. [Read more 🡒]