ClutchPoints
The 2025 Atlanta Falcons enter training camp with hope renewed and pressure mounting. After years of middling results, the franchise is finally trying to balance a new era on offense with a defensive identity that has been absent for far too long. Having Michael Penix Jr as the starting quarterback has energized the fan base. However, if the Falcons want to take the next step, it won’t be the quarterback room that decides their fate. Instead, all eyes are on whether a rebuilt pass rush can change everything for this team.
Is Kirk Cousins’ presence in Atlanta a help or a hindrance to Penix Jr’s growth? Many expected the veteran to be released this offseason. Instead, though, the Falcons kept him and his $27.5 million contract squarely in a backup role behind their young starter.
Recall that Cousins’ play unraveled after Week 10 last year. That opened the door for Penix to start the final three games. Atlanta ultimately decided that swallowing that much dead money wasn’t worth cutting him loose. The question now is whether the situation turns volatile if Penix falters out of the gate. Would fans begin calling for the proven veteran to rescue a playoff push? Could an injury elsewhere in the league trigger a trade?
For now, the Falcons are hoping the dynamic doesn’t become a distraction as Cousins runs the second-team offense in camp and takes preseason reps. It adds another layer of intrigue to a training camp that’s as much about balancing egos and expectations as it is about evaluating talent. The objectives remain clear: keep Penix protected, establish offensive balance, and finally fix a defense that has been holding this team back for years.
Here we’ll try to look at the surprising Atlanta Falcons player who could make or break their 2025 NFL season.
Atlanta’s mission to improve its pass rush continued with a splashy first round in April’s draft. They selected Jalon Walker at No. 15 overall before trading back into Round 1 to take James Pearce Jr 10 picks later. Walker is a product of Georgia and last year’s Butkus Award winner. He was widely regarded as one of the best pass-rushing prospects in the country. The Pearce pick grabbed headlines because the Falcons traded away next year’s first-round pick to get him. Make no mistake, though, the tone-setter of this defensive overhaul could be Walker.
The Falcons’ investment in pass rush talent is a direct response to an ugly reality. In 2024, they finished 31st in the NFL in sacks. Over the last seven seasons, Atlanta’s inability to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks has been one of the main reasons it hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since 2017. That streak must end if this roster is to maximize the window Penix opens.
Enter Walker. At Georgia, he was a relentless force. He could bend the edge, shoot gaps, and diagnose plays before they developed. His explosiveness and...
