The Falcoholic
From role players up front to potential starters in the secondary, the Falcons have options to improve a lackluster roster.
The reaction to the offensive edition of this article yesterday made it clear to me that defense is where many Atlanta Falcons fans want to see all remaining dollars and draft picks spent, and it’s difficult to quibble with that. As promised, let’s talk defense.
While the pickings are a little slim already after most of the big names were snapped up early, the Falcons still can get legitimate starters and helpful role players with any money they free up. That’s particularly true in the secondary, where the Falcons could add a nickel cornerback and starting safety today to give themselves more flexibility heading into the 2025 NFL Draft and make us all feel a lot better about what they’re about to put on the field this coming season.
Here are a few names that make sense for the team.
For a run defense that is setting up to be pretty shaky, Bullard is a sensible signing. The one-time Falcon—he was a 2021 signing—provides sure tackling and good instincts against the run, making him a potential fit to round out Atlanta’s rotation up front. The fact that he’s durable, with 34 games and 29 starts over the past two seasons for Minnesota, would make him a solid early down snap eater while this team brings a young line along.
He’s far from a difference maker, but he should come at a fair price point and provide insurance for injury or a lack of desired development from the team’s young options up front. That’s enough to give him a real look.
A homecoming of sorts. Cominsky was moved around the lineup and lightly used in Atlanta to begin his career, but he carved out a nice niche for himself in Detroit as a reliable run stopper who could generate pressure. He missed the 2024 season with an injury and would need to be healthy, but Cominsky’s well-rounded skill set and versatility—he played all over Detroit’s line in 2022 and 2023—would make him an addition with some actual upside for Atlanta.
He can play nose tackle and is a better fit for that role than Kentavius Street, who emerged as the team’s option of choice down the stretch, and is a much better run stuffer than he showed during his last stint in Atlanta back in 2021. This would be about filling a niche vacated with Eddie Goldman out of the picture, something the Falcons still need to do even if it’s profoundly unexciting.
One of the few high-end pass rushers left on the open market, Smith isn’t likely to be in Atlanta’s price range but would offer Atlanta needed boost. He had nine sacks a year ago for Cleveland and Detroit and like Leonard Floyd, offers reliable pressure with the specter of age leading to...
