Atlanta

Falcons

Branch played 77.9 percent of his college snaps from the slot, per PFF, and at 5-foot-9, 177 pounds, it’s widely believed he will see most of his work in the slot as a pro. Despite this belief, Stefanski praised his rookie receiver for his versatility and ability to line up anywhere on the field, suggesting the Falcons could look to utilize him in multiple ways this season. After Drake London, the Falcons’ receiving depth gets very thin. Veterans Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus currently project as the team’s other two starting receivers, but Branch, a third-round pick in this year’s draft, could look to unseat either vet in camp to earn some early playing time. Branch caught 81 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns last season at Georgia, setting career-highs in every receiving metric.

Per Over The Cap, the contract is worth $7.09 million. Forecasting Branch’s year one fantasy relevance is difficult. He stands just 5'9/177 and generated much of his receiving production in the screen game last year. That said, he is a very talented player with the ball in his hands and the Falcons’ wide receiver corps thins out quickly behind No. 1 WR Drake London. Veterans WRs Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus are penciled in as the Nos. 2 and 3 players in his position group. Unseating one, or both, is possible.

Heinicke most recently spent time on the Chargers’ roster, but was released in August 2025. He logged 29 starts in his career, 24 of which occurred during his time with the Commanders from 2020-22. Over the course of his career, Heinicke threw for 6,663 yards, 39 touchdowns and 28 interceptions, and rushed for 608 yards and three touchdowns. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings, and spent time with the Patriots, Texans, Panthers and Falcons as well.

Pelissero’s colleague, Ian Rapoport, reported that Pitts had signed the franchise tag back on April 7th, so this is a bit surprising. Pitts was rumored to be on the trade block entering the 2026 NFL Draft, but the team cannot trade an unsigned player. Maybe there is more at play here. Time will tell. Regardless, Pitts is set to make $15.045 million on the tag this year.

Hall entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick with the Falcons in 2021. He was cut after two seasons. He eventually returned to action in 2024 after spending time on multiple practice squads for two seasons. Hall appeared in 13 games last year with two starts, primarily seeing the field on special teams.

The Falcons continue to talk like a team expecting to be without Penix at the start of training camp, while holding out some hope that anything could change those expectations. Ryan is the latest dance around the topic, while back in March, head coach Kevin Stefanski said the team was “not gonna rush him” back to the field, and before that, it was reported that the team expects to be healthy “at some point in training camp.” For what it’s worth, Ryan did say he thinks Penix is “in a good spot right now,” but that can mean one of many things. Until he returns, Tua Tagovailoa is expected to operate as the QB1 and will likely have the inside edge to start in Week 1, the longer Penix remains out of commission.

Simmons, 31, played eight seasons for the Broncos as one of the league’s best safeties before ending his career with one season in Atlanta in 2024. He did not play in 2025. Simmons, who had 32 interceptions over his nine years in the NFL, was a four-time second-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler.

Anthony (6’0”/183) is a fourth-year prospect who spent his entire career at Wisconsin. Anthony led the Badgers in receiving yards in 2024 with a 39-672-4 line, and in receptions in 2025 (31-391-1), and also has experience as a kick and punt returner, returning 42 kickoffs in his career and 16 punts. The Wisconsin passing game didn’t do Anthony any favors in 2025, as they attempted just 272 passes as a team while throwing nine TDs to 13 INTs, but even at his best, Anthony still has much to prove at the next level. During his breakout 2024, Anthony saw 14 deep targets and converted seven of those into receptions. He has played primarily on the outside in his two years as a starter, but his size, coupled with his 4.54 40-yard dash, suggests he could be better equipped to handle more work in the slot. Anthony’s abilities as a returner will work to his advantage when it comes to making a roster, but how he develops away from Wisconsin’s anemic passing game will ultimately determine how long he sticks in the league.

Onianwa, 22, spent four seasons at Rice, three as a starter, before transferring to Ohio State in 2025, where he served as a backup after losing the battle for the starting right tackle role. Onianwa earned a career-best 72.3 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024 before earning a 39.0 PFF pass-blocking grade as a backup in 2025. He might have to fight for a roster spot this summer.

Perkins Jr. (6’1/223) is a hybrid second-level weapon whose 61 tackles, 15 havoc plays, 8.5 TFLs and four sacks illustrate his disruptive, splash-play profile when deployed as a movable chess piece. He generated 12 pressures on 77 rushes (15.6 percent pressure rate), underscoring his value as a blitz accelerator who can win with burst and angle versatility. Perkins’ 8.64 RAS is driven by elite speed (4.45 40) and explosive traits, allowing him to mirror backs and tight ends while flashing range to close from depth. However, his 79.2 percent tackle rate and lighter 223-pound frame show up as inconsistent finishing and limited play strength when taking on blocks in the box. Perkins projects best as a sub-package WILL/STAR defender who can weaponize his speed in pressure packages and coverage matchups, but his ultimate ceiling will hinge on improved physicality and coverage processing.