The Falcoholic
Xavier Watts was an absolute steal in the third round.
For the second straight season, the Falcons did some unusual things at the top of their draft. Of course, we all know about the decision to take Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. Then this time around, they made the choice to trade back up into the first round after taking Georgia’s Jalon Walker with the 15th overall pick to also add Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. with the 26th pick. The two edge-rushers came at premium prices — the Pearce trade cost Atlanta their 2025 second- and seventh-round picks, and their first-rounder in 2026.
That may seem like overkill, even for a franchise that has been out of sorts when it comes to edge pressure since time immemorial, but as it turned out, the Penix pick turned out to be the (or at least a) right move. Cousins was clearly hampered by injuries, Penix proved to be an upgrade late in the season, and the fact that “How far might the Falcons have gone in the playoffs had they started Penix earlier?” was a legitimate question for an 8-9 team validates the potential wisdom of the all-in thought process this time around.
“You know with trades, it always gets to that point where you have to weigh out what you’re actually doing and what you’re doing it for,” general manager Terry Fontenot said after the deal was made. “We look at the trade charts and all that stuff, but at some point you have to look at who’s the player and what’s going to be, what are we really getting, and is it worth it? That’s what you really have to do at some point. When you have that kind of conviction and belief in the player, then that’s when you’re willing to do it, and we do. We have that kind of belief in our staff. It’s not just about the actual drafting of players, it’s about getting them in the right environment and developing the right way, and we truly believe.”
It’s certainly a case where everyone involved had better be right, but everybody said that last year. And outside of the Cousins issues… well, at least the Falcons got their first bonafide starting quarterback since Matt Ryan out of the deal.
Of course, there’s more to getting back over the hump and making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 than a few well-placed draft picks. In the continuation of my “Hidden Gems” series, I look at three underrated stars – one veteran, one free-agent signing, and one third-day draft pick. All three of these players have the juice to help these Falcons get where they so desperately want to be.
One narrative about the Falcons offense over the last few seasons is that there has been too little payback...
