Atlanta

Falcons

The Falcons, of course, drafted both Jalon Walker and James Pearce in the first round. In an exclusive interview with CardPlayer.com — not to be confused with our PokerNews.com James Cook scoop a few days ago — Judon said that his sack total was down because “I dropped (into coverage) on 60 percent of the plays. It’s hard to get a pick and a sack on the same play.” Judon also told Kyle Odegard that “a couple” teams had expressed interest in him but he was in no rush to sign.

The Falcons now have both of their first-round selections under contract. They made a surprise trade back into the first round of last month’s draft to select Pearce, who boasts elite athleticism for his size and should contribute immediately on pass-rushing downs. Pearce totaled 19.5 sacks during his three seasons at Tennessee and led the SEC with 10 sacks as a sophomore. With a lot already invested in the pick, the Falcons hope Pearce will turn into a transformative player who can help turn around a defense that ranked 23rd in points allowed and 31st in sacks (31) last season. Pearce will receive a guaranteed $16.8 million on his rookie deal, with $8.8 million coming via a signing bonus.

The team’s official website estimates the deal will be worth $20.56 million, based on numbers provided by Over The Cap. The Falcons have also officially listed Walker, who lined up as a hybrid linebacker/EDGE at Georgia, as an EDGE on their roster. Walker is expected to serve as a defensive cornerstone for the foreseeable future and is expected to add hybrid linebacker duties to his job scope soon enough.

It’s hard to know how much of this is speculation vs. inside information, but Schrager is one of the more plugged-in guys around the league. Cousins is seemingly still available for trade, but the Falcons are in no rush to push the veteran quarterback out the door. Whether or not a trade could emerge between the Falcons and Steelers likely hinges on Aaron Rodgers and his decision on playing for the Steelers in 2025. Cousins will be 37 at the start of this season and lost his starting job to Michael Penix Jr. late last year. While he would be an immediate upgrade over what is arguably the worst quarterback room in the league, Cousins going to the Steelers would do more to stabilize the offense’s floor in 2025 than raise its ceiling. Cousins threw for 3508-18-16 in 14 games last season and had an abysmal five-game stretch in which he threw just one touchdown to nine interceptions, which ultimately led to his benching.

“Year 2 of the system. Year 2 of understanding what we’re trying to do offensively. All those things that come with it, so expecting a lot of good things from Kyle,” Robinson continued, presumably while trying to sell the people who asked him this question a bridge. The good news for those who would want to buy in on Pitts is, like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody is expecting a Pitts breakout year in his fifth season. He’s now a freeroll. But it’s hard to believe he’ll do any better than low-end TE1 duty this year.

Dwelley entered the NFL as a 2018 UDFA with the 49ers and spent six seasons there before completing a one-off campaign with the 2024 Falcons. Dwelley has failed to earn more than five targets in a single season, dating back to 2020. He can be safely expected to settle in as a rotational blocker in his age-30 season.

London, who will turn 24 in July, is locked up for the 2026 season. London has been superb through his first three NFL seasons: Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase were the only other two wideouts to average more than 12 yards per catch on 100 receptions in 2024. London was third in receiving yards and seventh in receptions last season, quickly becoming a target hog with Michael Penix under center for Atlanta. London should be viewed as a top-five fantasy receiver going into 2025.

Biggs said the 25-year-old undrafted free agent out of San Jose State, who led all college receivers in catches, yards, and touchdowns in 2024, could make an impact in offseason workouts and training camp and find his way into a role in the Atlanta offense. “With time,” Biggs said, “you can see Nash work his way into the rotation, earning his keep on special teams and four/five receiver sets.” Nash’s lack of explosiveness and long speed will be tough to overcome, but precise route running and sure hands for the QB-turned-wideout could earn Nash a roster spot this summer. For now, Drake London, Ray-Ray McCloud, and Darnell Mooney sit atop the Atlanta receiver depth chart.

One day after the 2025 NFL Draft concluded, NFL media reported en masse that Ulbrich’s son, Jax, was involved in the prank call made to Sanders during the former Colorado quarterback’s draft-day(s) slide. The Falcons organization then released a public statement, sending “sincere apologies” to the entire Sanders family. For those concerned that the father might be punished for the sins of the son, the Falcons let it be known that the organization “will not take any action against their defensive coordinator.” Schefter adds that the Falcons “are continuing to review their protocols to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.” We believe it is safe to assume that all team-issued iPads will be safely locked with six-digit codes and/or facial recognition technology moving forward.

A rangy boundary safety with prototype measurables (6’4/218, 32.5-inch arms) and a 9.15 RAS, Verdon boasts elite size and enough athleticism to turn heads. Iowa State’s 4-2-5 scheme saw him thrive in zone-heavy duties, posting an 80.5 coverage grade and 73.0 overall PFF defensive mark in 2024. While the tools are enticing, consistency remains elusive. He tallied 76 tackles, 5 PBUs, and 2 interceptions across 11 starts, even while wearing a cast for part of the season. His long-striding frame covers ground well downhill, but loose anticipation and questionable pursuit angles contributed to a 13.2 percent missed tackle rate and kept him from being trusted in man. Still, his 52 stops over three seasons suggest he can fill an alley and disrupt screens with burst. Verdon is a traits-based project with four-down potential. If special teams become his launching pad, teams may find a low-hole defender worth developing.